UK government to test emergency alert on mobile devices - here’s when Sunderland can expect to hear it

The UK government is set to issue an emergency alert that will be sent to millions of mobile phones across the country, including Sunderland. The alert will be a loud siren, accompanied by a message.

It is a test run, and will be used as an example of what to expect  in emergency situations that occur in the UK. Examples of when this method could be  deployed include severe flooding, fires or extreme weather.

The full message is set to read: "This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby. In an actual emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information. This is a test. You do not need to take any action."

The text is due to be sent out nationwide on Sunday, April 23. Despite being potentially life saving at some point in the future, there is the option for people to avoid having it pop up on their phone if you wish.

For IOS devices, you will be able to locate the Emergency Alerts through the Notifications section of settings.You will find the Emergency Alerts options located at the bottom of the page, including extreme and severe alerts.

If they are turned on, the toggle to the left should appear green. To turn them off, you simply tap the toggle, which should then go grey, which means when the test occurs in April, you will not receive the text.

If you are an android user, you can locate emergency alerts through the Apps & Notifications section in your settings. Emergency alerts should be listed at the bottom of the page. Once selected, it will take you to a new page which you can then toggle off extreme threats and severe threats as well as amber alerts.