Exercise Dalmatian took place on Tuesday using a table top model of the Shrewsbury and Oswestry areas.

The professionals were given different scenarios to identify their roles and responsibilities and how they would act and communicate with each other.

The joint exercise was funded by the Environment Agency and Shropshire County Council to try to ensure an effective multi-agency approach to major flooding.

It will help all of us to ensure that we provide an effective service to the people of Shropshire in the event of a severe flood Phil Foxley, Environment Agency

Organisations involved in designing the practise included: Shropshire County Council's emergency planning unit; Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service; Oswestry Borough Council; Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council; West Mercia Police and the Environment Agency.

Military personnel, power supplier Aquila Networks, the Red Cross, the Women's Royal Voluntary Service and Arriva Buses also took part.

The government requires the Environment Agency to regularly assess emergency flood response plans with local authorities and emergency services.

Phil Foxley, flood warning team leader for the Environment Agency's upper Severn area, said: "Exercises like this give agency staff and our partners in the emergency services an opportunity to practice working together.