Another "exercise" with an unusual name. Seems everybody feels the need to be ready.......for something.
Operation Black Rain gets underway
A top secret anti-terrorism exercise involving hundreds of security personnel is beginning in the North East. Grampian Police have released few details about Exercise Black Rain.
Preparations for the huge training exercise, believed to centre on counter-terrorism have been underway for months. The operation in the North East, codenamed Black Rain has been given the highest possible status.
During the weekend the Cabinet Office's emergency briefing room will be activated and Home Secretary David Blunkett or his designated deputy will oversee the exercise which runs from today until Sunday. A recent high profile exercise in Central London was part of the Government's national programme for contingency exercises.
As well as the emergency services and local authorities, the military will provide engineering support. The Ministry of Defence say there may also be Special Forces involvement, but have refused to comment further.
The five hundred thousand pound exercise will involve around one third of the Grampian police's eighteen hundred employees and is partly funded by the Home Office. Grampian Police are pledging that there'll will be as little disruption to the public as possible.