POLICE have told the public they “should not be alarmed” ahead of a major threat response exercise taking place at the weekend.

Avon and Somerset Police gave advanced notice it would be carrying out what it described a “pre-planned training exercise” at Wimbleball Lake on Exmoor on Saturday (March 23).

Issuing a statement on social media a spokesperson for the force said the exercise was “designed to test and strengthen our response to a major incident” but added it was not being carried out in response to “any specific intelligence or threat.”

The public will not be able to access the lake during the day on Saturday, and police warned some nearby footpaths may also be subject to restrictions while emergency responders are working.

The exercise is understood to involve a number of agencies, including the police. Officers said: “Members of the public should not be alarmed by any of the activity taking place.”

Exmoor previously saw a major incident exercise in its waters in 2022, when a multi-agency team took to Watchet harbour to respond to a simulated incident onboard a fishing vessel.

Teams from Avon and Somerset Police, ambulance crews and fire fighters took part in the training exercise, which involved retrieving ‘casualties’ from the ‘incident stricken’ boat.

Photographs taken on the scene and later posted to social media by police showed emergency responders carrying dummy casualties from the harbour’s waters and onto land.

It is understood usual access to the lake will resume once Saturday’s exercise is completed.