Gloucestershire rescue groups take part in flood test

Emergency and rescue organisations are taking part in a training exercise to test their response to flooding.

The three-day search and rescue exercise is taking place in Lydney in the Forest of Dean.

The town is under threat because of its location near the Severn estuary and the presence of the River Lyd.

Agencies taking part include police, fire, ambulance and volunteer groups. The flood response will be tested on 21, 23 and 29 March.

The organisations involved include the MoD Police, Gloucestershire Police, the Severn Area Rescue Association, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service, Great Western Ambulance Service, the Maritime Volunteer Service and Gloucestershire Cave Rescue Group.

Sgt John Garner from Gloucestershire Police has coordinated the exercise on behalf of Gloucestershire's Local Resilience Forum.

He said it was aimed at making sure all the agencies worked together effectively to help the people of Lydney if serious flooding occurred.

Chief fire officer Jon Hall added that scenarios like this "strengthen a common purpose" between the emergency services and voluntary rescue groups.