Emergency services took part in a live-play training exercise at Pleasurewood Hills near Lowestoft this week to test responses to a major incident.

Eastern Daily Press: A live-play training exercise took place at Pleasurewood Hills near Lowestoft this week. Picture: SUFFOLK CONSTABULARYA live-play training exercise took place at Pleasurewood Hills near Lowestoft this week. Picture: SUFFOLK CONSTABULARY (Image: Archant)

The exercise, which took place on Tuesday, November 28, was designed to enhance the skills of emergency responders when managing a major incident – and was not in relation to any specific threat.

The scenario saw a firearms incident develop at the scene with Suffolk Constabulary and other blue light emergency responders putting response plans in place to defuse the threat.

Ambulance and fire and rescue services responded to deal with casualties from the incident, and around 400 role players took part in the exercise.

Suffolk police said the exercise was just one of a number of events held regularly across the country to provide invaluable training and experience for officers and staff.

The force says preparation and testing is integral in helping partners to ensure Suffolk and the UK is resilient.

Details of the exercise were not shared publicly to allow partner agencies to respond spontaneously as they would in a real incident. The area was tightly controlled and the public were not involved.

Officers and security staff were on patrol to reassure any local residents who may have heard or seen the increased activity, noise and presence of the emergency services. However, it was business as usual for the force and officers.

Trevor Rodenhurst, chief constable, said: “Routine exercises like this are important as they enable us to test out our ability to deal with large scale incidents. I would like to thank Pleasurewood Hills and the local community for their support.

“The exercise was not based on any threat or intelligence and although it is unlikely that an incident like this would occur, recent national and international events have once again highlighted the importance of public organisations testing their emergency response procedures to assure the safety of the communities we serve.”