Postgrad newspaper journalism students L-R Adam Lord, Hannah Upton and Rhianne Pope

Postgraduate and undergraduate journalism students have been praised by Lancashire County Council for their help with a two-day emergency exercise.

The broadcast and journalism students took part in Operation Heron designed to test how police, fire, ambulance, environmental , health and  other services would cope with a nuclear accident.

“It’s recognised that the media play an important part in major incidents and it is critical that we reflect that in such exercises,” said  Bernard Kershaw, emergency planning officer for Lancashire.

“The involvement and commitment of the students was invaluable. They were very keen and enthusiastic and helped bring realism to the event. I’m very grateful for their time and energy.”

Thirty UClan students were involved. They attended news conferences and conducted one-to-interviews with key personnel. Broadcast students produced live radio and TV news reports while their print colleagues produced special crisis editions of Greenbank News.

“We found it extremely rewarding covering a live news story. It was also a great challenge working to live deadlines,” said postgraduate newspaper journalism student Adam Lord.

Postgrad newspaper journalism student Hannah Upton said: “Operation Heron was a brilliant exercise because it allowed us to put theory into practice. It proved that good team work is vital.” 

“Our students really rose to the occasion,” said Delwyn Swingewood  course leader for postgraduate newspaper journalism. “It was a great educational experience.”

More than 100 people took part in the major exercise which centred on a radiation leak at the Springields nuclear plant near Preston.

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