The police and council are working on a plan to clear people from Braintree town centre in a bomb scare or similar emergency, like a gas leak.

The town centre could be split into four zones to help evacuate shoppers and workers quickly.

The system requires a shopkeeper or business representative to act as contact for their zone. They would be responsible for relaying police orders to neighbouring firms.

Police and Braintree Council officers liaised after a bomb hoax which led to the evacuation of George Yard shopping centre and road blocks being set up round the town centre.

Braintree crime prevention officer Geoff Butler told Braintree town centre strategy group the operation was a success but better preperation was needed.

He said: "There could have been a totally different outcome to the scare. We need to take a good look at preparing for bomb calls and being able to react. It's important we get traders involved in the process.

"Depending on the situation, we would advise them to evacuate their stores, but the final decision would be with them. We need to establish how to evacuate people and where they are dispersed to."

Mr Butler added that town centre zones was one option - that would be quicker than police contacting every premises themselves.

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