UK POLICE are likely to begin sharing intelligence with their US counterparts once again after Donald Trump pledged swift action over the leaking of confidential material about the Manchester bombing to American news outlets, a leading expert has said.

Relations between the two countries had become strained after US media secured key details relating to the investigation into Monday night's suicide attack from security forces in the United States.

They included the name of bomber Salman Abedi which was leaked to US media just hours after the attack and official crime scene photographs from inside the Manchester Arena depicting a bloody detonator, shrapnel and the remains of the bomber's bag.

In the wake of the leaks, UK police investigating the Manchester Arena bomb attack said they would stopped sharing information with the US.

Last night, President Donald Trump said he would "get to the bottom" of the leaks just hours before he was due to be confronted by an angry Theresa May over the issue at a NATO summit in Brussels.

Mrs May had said she would make clear to the American President that intelligence passed between law enforcement agencies "must be shared securely”.

But Dr Archie Simpson, who specialises in international security at the University of Bath, said that despite a breakdown in relations co-operation between UK and US law enforcement agencies should resume "soon".

He said: "I’m sure that there will be behind-the-scenes discussions between the British and Americans to ensure that there are no future leaks.

"The Prime Minister will discuss this with President Trump at the NATO talks to emphasise the importance of this investigation. And I would suspect that co-operation will resume quickly, especially if the source of the leaks, and the reason for the leaks, can be found."

He added: "Co-operation is important in such matters for all sides."

Speaking at First Ministers Questions, Nicola Sturgeon condemned the publication of sensitive information by US media which she said risked compromising the ongoing police investigation in Manchester.

Nicola Sturgeon said she shared the “anger” of many at the “completely unacceptable” leak of crime scene images.

She added: “The ability of countries to share intelligence and to share intelligence confidentially and securely is one of the things that helps keep us safe.”

She also said that the decision to temporarily stop sharing intelligence information was “right”.

“But let us be in no doubt that what we have read and seen in American newspapers over the last couple of days is completely unacceptable and potentially compromises the investigation."

The US President described the clutch of leaks as “deeply troubling”.

He added that he had instructed the US Department of Justice to launch a full investigation into what he called "alleged" leaks.

Mr Trump also called on Nato, an organisation he described as “obsolete” just a few months ago, to do more to prevent terrorism.

The tycoon-turned-politician said that the military and nuclear alliance must focus on "terrorism and immigration" as he repeated his description of those behind the Manchester attack as "losers".

As she arrived at the summit, Mrs May also said that she also intended to push for Nato to do more to tackle terrorism.

On the leaks controversy she said: “We have a special relationship with the USA, it is our deepest defence and security partnership that we have.

Of course, that partnership is built on trust. And part of that trust is knowing that intelligence can be shared confidently and I will be making clear to President Trump today that intelligence that is shared between law enforcement agencies must be shared securely.”

Earlier the top US diplomat in the UK Lewis Lukens told the BBC that the leaks were "reprehensible" and would be stopped.

Former Home Secretary David Blunkett accused the New York Times – which first published forensic images from the bombed concert arena – of having "lost its marbles".

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson will make his first official visit to the UK today for talks with Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

The Foreign Office said the visit was "an expression of UK-US solidarity" following the Manchester attack.

Mr Trump has come under pressure over claims that he revealed top secret intelligence, thought to have been gathered by the Israelis, to the Russians during a meeting in the Oval Office.

That alleged leak led to a furious response from the Israelis.

The country’s defence chief Avigdor Lieberman said that Israel would change how it shared intelligence with the US.

Mr Blunkett also called for so-called Tpims (terrorism prevention and investigation measures) to be strengthened.

That has been rejected by the Home Secretary Amber Rudd, who said that in conversations with police “there has been no additional request for strengthening of Tpims or additional tools”.