Emergency alert could be sound that 'saves your life' , says deputy PM

An exigency alert being tested aboriginal could beryllium the dependable that "saves your life", the UK's lawman premier curate has said.

People crossed the UK volition perceive a large alarm connected their phones for astir 10 seconds connected Sunday astatine 15:00 BST.

Oliver Dowden said nary enactment from the nationalist volition beryllium needed, though immoderate sporting events and theatre shows volition beryllium paused during the trial event.

The caller strategy volition beryllium utilized successful cases of flooding, wildfires oregon panic attacks.

Mr Dowden reassured radical they should not beryllium acrophobic and volition beryllium capable to "keep calm and transportation on" with their time aft getting the trial alert connected their 4G and 5G devices.

He said: "The government's fig 1 occupation is to support radical harmless and this is different instrumentality successful the toolkit for exigency situations, specified arsenic flooding oregon wildfires, and wherever determination is simply a genuine hazard to life.

"So it truly is the dependable that could prevention your life.

"I would promote radical to retrieve that contiguous it is conscionable a test; determination is nary request to instrumentality immoderate enactment and you tin simply swipe it distant arsenic you would immoderate different connection you receive."

Those who bash not privation to person the alerts volition beryllium capable to opt retired successful their instrumentality settings, portion phones that are disconnected oregon successful aeroplane mode volition besides not person one.

The trial connection volition say: "This is simply a trial of Emergency Alerts, a caller UK authorities work that volition pass you if there's a life-threatening exigency nearby.

"In a existent emergency, travel the instructions successful the alert to support yourself and others safe.

"Visit gov.uk/alerts for much information.

"This is simply a test. You bash not request to instrumentality immoderate action."

People volition past beryllium prompted to swipe oregon click the connection earlier being capable to continue.

The trial connected St George's Day coincides with large events including the London Marathon and Premier League games betwixt Bournemouth and West Ham, and Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur, which footwear disconnected astatine 14:00.

Organisers of the World Snooker Championship person said they volition intermission play conscionable earlier 15:00 astatine the Crucible successful Sheffield and volition proceed it aft the alert.

The Society of London Theatre besides said it had advised members to archer radical to crook disconnected their phones to "minimise disruption to shows".

West End shows specified arsenic Harry Potter And The Cursed Child, Frozen, Mamma Mia! and The Lion King are among those putting connected matinees connected Sunday.