People in east Suffolk will receive an alert on their phones to warn them of a serious emergency, such as a terrorist attack, as part of a Government test pilot.

Building on the use of text messages during the pandemic, the UK Government will be trialling the new Emergency Alerts service in the region on Tuesday, May 25.

If the trial proves to be a success the Government plans to roll the scheme out nationwide later this year, alerting people when there is a risk to life, such as severe floods, fire, industrial incidents and terror attacks.

MP Penny Mordaunt, said: "The Emergency Alerts service will be a vital tool in helping us to better respond to emergencies, both nationally and locally.

"This new system builds on existing capability and will allow us to more quickly and effectively get life-saving messages to people across the UK."

The initiative is already adopted by many countries such as the USA, Canada and New Zealand, where it has been widely credited with saving lives.

By broadcasting from cell towers in the vicinity of an emergency, the alerts are secure, free to receive, and one-way. They do not reveal your location and do not collect any personal data. 

After the alert is sent from the issuing authority, the public should receive the message in about four to 10 seconds.

People who receive a test alert will not need to do anything - it is just a test to ensure the effectiveness of the service.