Public speaker system offered to forces

A mobile loudspeaker system is being offered to police forces across the country to use in major incident such as terrorist attacks or chemical spillages.

The Antares Incident Messaging System has already been bought by the Environment Agency in the wake of the floods which hit Britain two years ago. The Environment Agency asked the company to design equipment which could be fitted to a car and was easy to use. Older loudspeakers usually require the operator to hold and speak into a microphone, meaning someone else has to drive the vehicle.

The Enviroment Agency's North East, Yorkshire and Humberside region, which tested the equipment last year, said it proved its worth in the floods which hit Yorkshire. The agency has since bought 42 units.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: 'As an operational tool, this system has allowed more specialist staff to be where they are needed, while fulfilling our role of warning and informing the public.'

Now the manufacturers are approaching police forces around the country in the hope of persuading officers that the system could be useful in situations ranging from a terrorist attack, floods or chemical spillage down to an open-air music festival or other public events.

The equipment comes in a briefcase-sized box using two 100 watt speakers facing backwards and forwards, ounted in an amber light-bar equipeed with LED lighting. The power is taken from the vehicle 'cigar lighter' socket.

The system has been designed to be run with engine off, but the manufacturers say it will not drain the car battery to a point that would cause it not to start the engine.