LIVERPOOL'S main postal sorting office was evacuated today in a terrifying new anthrax scare.

A chemical incident unit raced to the building after white powder was spotted leaking from a package.

The area has been sealed off and mail deliveries to Liverpool city centre temporarily suspended.

Rochester Cathedral in Kent was sealed off yesterday after a package containing white powder was found - 24 hours after a security alert at nearby Canterbury Cathedral.

The scares came as Scotland Yard said the public had to be extra-vigilant.

A police spokeswoman said: "If people are suspicious of anything they have received in the mail or by hand they should contact police.

"The police will advise and them. We have asked people to be vigilant.''

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "We are doing everything that can be done to protect high profile targets and essential services. Contingency plans are in place.''

Dozens of new Anthrax scares have been reported in countries across the world, including France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Canada, Israel, Brazil, and Australia.

America was today gripped by a new terrorist alert after two more people - including a seven-month-old baby - were diagnosed with anthrax.

The baby son of an ABC News employee contracted the deadly disease after his mother took him to the station's New York newsroom.

The youngster has been diagnosed as having skin anthrax, but New York Mayor Rudolph Giuilani said he was responding well to treatment.

Mr Giuilani said: "We are very hopeful the baby will make a full and complete recovery."

A 73-year-old man has also tested positive for inhaled anthrax at the same publishing company in Florida where a British-born journalist died of the disease.

The two latest cases come after a contaminated letter was sent to one of America's leading politicians, US Senate leader Tom Daschle.

A total of four people have now been diagnosed with anthrax, one of whom has died.

At least 11 others have tested positive for exposure to the bacteria, while more than 1,000 people have undergone tests for anthrax.

President George W Bush said there could be a link between the anthrax attacks and terrorist warlord Osama bin Laden.

Mr Bush said: "We have no hard data yet but it is clear that Bin Laden is an evil man - I wouldn't put it past him."