A HOST of groups and organisations came together to test plans to deal with a major maritime incident on the river Stour.

They were tasked with coming up with a response to a scenario where a vessel had struck one of the jetties at Harwich International Port along with the subsequent issues that then developed.

The multi-agency desktop exercise was played out at Clacton’s Princes Theatre.

Representatives from 23 different organisations including four emergency services, port representatives from Suffolk and Essex, Harwich Haven Authority and Tendring Council all took part.

They were joined by environmental bodies such as the Environment Agency, Natural England and the RSPB plus the NHS and Public Health.

The exercise provided the ideal opportunity for organisations to liaise with each other, understand roles and responsibilities and to practice decision making in a high stress environment.

Lynda McWilliams, Tendring Council’s cabinet member for leisure, health and wellbeing, attended.

“It was a chance for the organisations to check whether existing plans were robust enough to support this type of response if it was ever required,” she said.

“It is always good practice to get so many different organisations together in this way and see how they perform.

"It is great preparation for the real thing – should it occur.”