Anglesey's oil disaster test

The Sea Empress ran aground eight years ago

A major pollution catastrophe is being mocked up in Anglesey this week - nearly eight years on to the day from Wales' worst environmental disaster.

On February 15 1996, the Sea Empress discharged 72,000 tonnes of crude oil into the sea off Milford Haven.

Ten-mile long slicks and thousands of birds died following the spill which led to millions of pounds being spent on cleaning up the coastline.

It is reassuring to know that arrangements are in place to respond quickly Councillor Elwyn Schofield

How to deal with a similar environmental crisis around Anglesey's 201km of coastline is the thinking behind a two-day training event organised at Wylfa Visitor Centre.

It is being put on by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Isle of Anglesey County Council.

Workshops will take place on Tuesday and beach demonstrations at Cemaes Bay are timetabled for Wednesday.

Alan Williams, the council's emergency planning manager, said a 'boom' - a huge sea barrier - would be deployed.

"It's basically a long piece of sponge which stops the oil reaching the shore," he said.

"Oil is easier to retrieve if it's floating. If it gets into the rocks and all the nooks and crannies it can be very difficult," he said.

Mr Williams added: "We have a few small booms but the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have booms of hundreds of metres."

UK-wide course

Kelly Attrill, counter pollution officer with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, is organising the free course which is taken up by UK local authorities eight times a year.

She said: "On Wednesday it will be a practical day when the boom deployment exercise takes place and we will give all the delegates a scenario which they have to work through."

Miss Attrill said the delegates will also have to build the boom by bolting together 15m pieces.

"The event is about getting everyone round the table and everyone talking beforehand and it's a familiarisation exercise with the equipment," she added.

As well as council representatives, there will also be people from the Environment Agency, the Countryside Council for Wales and neighbouring councils.

"The tides are suitable at this time of year. It just happens we want high tides mid-morning and that's what it will be," said Mr Williams.

He said it was important the training event took place because of authority's boundaries were all on the coast.