Torridge District council in coastal pollution training exercise in Bideford bay

It’s important to be prepared in case of a damaging spill. And the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) helped officers from Torridge District Council do just that last week on the beach at Bideford.

The training exercise helped the council officers to prepare for a severe coastal pollution incident on the Devon coast, by giving them two days of intensive training using booms and other spill prevention and clean up devices.

The River Torridge was the setting for the practical training with council officers from a range of local councils including Somerset County Council, Teignbridge District Council, East Devon Council, Plymouth City Council, Devon County Council and North Devon Council taking part. The course participants learned valuable skills, including how to clean up an oil damaged shoreline, health and safety requirements and how to manage waste oil.

Councillor Andrew Saywell who is Torridge’s lead member for Public Protection and Health and Safety stated:

“It was a very worthwhile exercise and a great example of multi-agency working. Hopefully none of the officers will ever have to do this for real, but at least now if they do they will be well equipped to handle such an emergency.”