Health staff had to deal with a range of simulated injuries

Emergency services and health officials were testing responses to a potential chemical terror attack on Newcastle.

Exercise Magpie, which is organised by the Health Protection Agency, was seeing how the NHS reacts to a terrorist atrocity in the North East.

Hundreds of doctors, nurses, ambulance staff, GPs, firefighters and police officers were taking part.

The test involved a simulated chemical gas attack on a crowded city centre theatre.

As part of the simulation, 14 people "died" when the deadly poison Sarin was released into the lecture theatre.

Another 30 people were showing symptoms of the nerve agent, while the remainder of the 200-strong audience were being examined by medical staff.

Dr Nigel Lightfoot, from the Health Protection Agency, said the exercise would have cost about �200,000 to stage.

The agency has been given �2.6m from the government to hold 10 similar exercises across the UK.

Fire crews in protective chemical suits and police in black SAS-style gas masks rushed to Newcastle city centre to deal with the catastrophe.

Roof-top demonstrators were also at the exercise

Outside Newcastle Civic Centre - scene of the mock terrorist attack - decontamination areas were set up as health bosses began the day-long operation.

The Health Protection Agency was established last year to plan a nationwide response to national disasters - both natural and man-made.

As the mock attack got under way, about 20 people staged a rooftop protest, dressed up as figures such as Tony Blair and Osama bin Laden.

The simulated terror attack was the biggest of its kind outside London and follows last year's exercise on the London Underground, which was modelled on the deadly Sarin poison gas strike in Tokyo in 1995.

We are testing our ability to respond, to decontaminate and finally provide treatment - that is what today is about John Hutton Health minister In pictures: Tyneside terror

Paul Liversidge, from the North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: "The opportunity to exercise with our emergency services colleagues from other agencies is always beneficial and can only enhance the understanding of each services areas of skill and expertise."

Health Minister John Hutton added: "We are testing our ability to respond, to decontaminate and finally provide treatment - that is what today is about.

"It is particularly important for the emergency services to test their plans and today is a very important part of that process.

"It is also not just about the North East, as emergency services across the country will be watching and learning from this."