Hundreds of officers from the emergency services from across the South West have been involved in an exercise on Salisbury Plain spanning over two weeks.

Emergency services are taking part in a public order training exercise, named Exercise Conquer, which ends today.

The exercise is designed to show how the police, fire and ambulance services work together at operational and tactical levels to deal with, and disperse, social disorder.

Five forces have been working alongside fire and ambulance services. Security co-operation with the military is also being practiced. 

The exercise has involved high levels of violence aimed at officers, who have been attacked with petrol bombs and missiles and subjected to attacks from violent people.

While the exercise is simulation only, the aim has been to be as realistic as possible with some officers set to play the part of rioters.

Chief Inspector Rich Hooper-Bennett said: ‘The ability of blue light services to train together at operational, tactical and strategic levels should not be underestimated.’