High Street reaction as UK Government tests its emergency alert system

Shoppers on Nottingham High Street had mixed feelings about the government's phone alarm warning test yesterday (April 23).

Many did not even know it was happening, suggesting that the campaign to warn people in advance was a bit hit and miss.

And others thought it could just scare the elderly and children.

Anny Mundeli, 44, said she is concerned that older people and people who suffer from anxiety 'might worry about' the alarm, 'especially if it just goes off out of nowhere.'

Anny, of Nottingham, said: "I knew about it but I feel like people who suffer from anxiety or depression might worry about it, especially if it just goes off out of nowhere.

"It's quite loud which can also scare older people, they might not know how to turn it off."

Aisha Khan, 18, of Nottingham said she had 'absolutely no knowledge' about the alarm but thinks 'it will be helpful.'

The government tested its Emergency Alerts yesterday (image via SWNS)

She said: "I had absolutely no knowledge about it.

"When the alarm went off, I actually thought it was an alarm that was going off in the shop that we were in at the time.

"I think it will be helpful if you know when it's going off and it all depends on what they are telling us about."

Donna Anderson, 38, said she thinks it could 'scare or confuse' children who have phones as it 'scared me at first.'

Donna said: "Children have phones nowadays so it could scare them or confuse them.

"It scared me at first and I didn't know how to turn it off when it popped up on my phone."

Some said the alert could just scare the elderly and children (image via SWNS)

Mo Mir, 23, said that he thinks it 'makes sense to have' the alarm but 'normally you know about things' anyway.

He said: "I knew it was going to go off because I saw it on the news a couple of days ago.

"It does make sense to have it though in case anything does happen nearby.

"But then you normally know about things because of the news and if it's really close, the sirens."

Some described the alarm as 'anticlimactic' (image via SWNS)

Melika Karakoyunlu, 18, said that although she understands why it is happening, she 'thinks most people will turn it off.'

Melika said: "School actually gave us a presentation on it which is how I knew about it.

"They also told us how to turn the alarm off if we didn't want it on our phones.

"But I do think most people will turn it off as it's quite a scary noise, especially all at once.

"I do understand why they are bringing it in though."