A text that will be sent to millions of phones next Sunday in a test of a new government emergency alert system has been revealed.
The text will be accompanied by a loud, 10-second blast which is to be sent to all 4G and 5G mobiles across the UK on April 23 in a trial run of the new scheme.
Phone users who receive the message will not be able to use their device until they acknowledge it, although those who do not wish to get the alerts can opt out using their device settings.
On receiving the message, there will be the option to either swipe away the message or click ‘OK’ on the phone’s home screen, at which point people will be able to use their phones again as normal.
The full message will 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 a real 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.”
Potential chaos caused by drivers
The advice to drivers, meanwhile, is that they should not look at or touch their device until it is safe to do so.
It comes after concerns over potential chaos caused by drivers panicking upon hearing the piercing noise, with road safety campaigners fearing so-called “Sunday drivers”, who are often less experienced, could lose their cool on hearing the alert.
The warning will not be sent during the televised FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Brighton at 4.30pm, although other football matches could be affected. It is not yet known at what time it will sound.
Alex Woodman, the chief fire officer, said: “We must use every tool at our disposal to keep people safe, and we need everyone to play their part. The new Emergency Alerts system is one way we can do this.
“For 10 seconds the national test may be inconvenient for some but it's important, because the next time you hear it your life, and the life-saving actions of our emergency services, could depend on it.”
Similar alert schemes exist in the US, Canada and the Netherlands, and the British equivalent is initially intended to be used in life-threatening situations which include flooding and wildfires.
Eventually it could be expanded to take in terror attacks, although this would be subject to further testing.
The Cabinet Office has insisted the alerts – which will only come from the Government or the emergency services – will be both secure and free to receive, and that personal data is not collected as part of the process.