EMERGENCY services and volunteer groups involved in disaster relief swapped skills during a conference in Colchester.

Speakers with first hand experience of events , either as victims, support workers or rescue teams, shared what they had learnt from their experience, such as how needs of communities affected by disasters may change over time.

Events such as the Lockerbie bombing, the Asian tsunami, and the July 7 London bombings spoke at the seminar, while councils, Essex Fire Brigade and the Salvation Army were just some of those who attended.

Josephine Harris, joint emergency planning officer said: “This seminar will help prepare all the groups who would work together to cater for the welfare of people in or from Essex should they be affected by an emergency or disaster, whether at home or abroad."

The event was held at the Weston Homes Community Stadium on Thursday.

For more information on arrangements in Essex visit the websites for the Crisis Support Team for Essex and the Essex Resilience Forum.