'Train crash' tests emergency services

The dummy exercise cost about £7,000

Emergency services based in Somerset carried out a practice disaster exercise on Wednesday.

The staged event tested crews' ability to respond to an incident involving a train crashing into a minibus full of passengers near Taunton.

For the 300 members of the police, fire and ambulance services it was as serious as the real thing.

Ten minutes after the 999 call was made five fire engines and the ambulance service were on the scene treating the seriously injured.

Duty of care

Firefighter Chris Snook said: "The priority is to get the casualties out and to get them safe as quickly as we can.

"We have no idea of numbers yet and this is a crucial time at the moment."

It is the biggest training exercise due to take place in Somerset in 2004.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Mortimer said: "We have a duty of care to train our staff properly.

"The cost is somewhere in the region of £7,000, but this is something we need to do every couple of years to really test our resources."