UK emergency alert

A NATIONWIDE test of the UK’s emergency alert service will take place at 3pm on Sunday April 23.

The government said it would only be used in “life ­ threatening emergencies”, including extreme weather events like the wildfires and flooding seen last year.

Messages will pop up on mobile phones across the UK, along with a sound and vibration that will automatically stop after 10 seconds.

Minister Oliver Dowden said the alert service could one day “be the sound that saves your life.”

The government has worked with emergency services and other entities, including the Football Association, to ensure it has minimal impact on major events for the test later in April.

It will coincide with some Premier League football matches and the London Marathon.

The government said the test was important as it will ensure people can recognise a real alert providing clear instructions about how to respond in an emergency.

The alerts are expected to be sent very rarely, only when there is an immediate threat to life, so it may be months or even years before you receive one.