Emergency alert: Exact date and time loud siren to play out on phones across UK
Public emergency alert to be sent to all UK mobile phones
PA
The exact date and time a nationwide emergency alert system will be tested has been confirmed.
Later this month Britons will receive a siren and urged message on their smart phones to trial a new system being rolled out by the UK Government.
The system is intended to be used in life-threatening situations including flooding and wildfires.
Messages will pop up on mobile phones across the country, along with a loud noise and vibration.
An emergency message will appear on all UK mobile phones as a siren-like noise soundsTwitter/Cabinet OfficeUsers will need to click "okay" or swipe away the notification in order to acknowledge it.
The alert will be used for the first time at 3pm on Sunday April 23.
The Government had previously announced the date of the test but not the time.
Further details surrounding the system come amid concerns within Government and other organisations that not enough people are aware of the test is taking place.
There are fears the alert will cause havoc by unexpected drivers on motorways, and could put domestic violence victims in danger by revealing the location of secret phones hidden away by those at risk.
Anyone who does not wish to receive the alert can opt out.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Oliver Dowden said: “Getting this system operational with the national test means we have another tool in our toolkit to keep the public safe in life-threatening emergencies.
“It could be the sound that saves your life.”
National Fire Chiefs Council chairman Mark Hardingham said: “For 10 seconds the national test may be inconvenient for some, but please forgive us for the intrusion because, the next time you hear, it your life, and the life-saving actions of our emergency services, could depend on it.”
As well as the concerns over the unintended consequences of the alert, the Government has caused anger among some for trialling the alert on the same day as a number of important events.
The alert will be issued on St George's Day, England's national saint day.
It also coincides with the London Marathon and the 2pm kick-off Premier League ties between Bournemouth and West Ham and Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur.
Officials said they have worked with the Football Association and the Marathon’s organisers to make sure the impact of the test will be limited.