SALISBURY residents are being warned they may see an increased presence of search and rescue volunteers in the area this weekend.

Volunteers from Wiltshire Search and Rescue will be taking part in a scenario-based training exercise in Salisbury, which will be centred around Queen Elizabeth Gardens.

The training exercise is due to take place on Sunday (October 20) from 9am until mid afternoon.

It is designed to train volunteers on searching for a vulnerable missing person and also what to do once the person has been found.

There will be upwards of 30 people in uniform involved in the exercise, which will also be used as a collaborative training session with Wiltshire Police.

Adrian Sawyer, the chair of Wiltshire Search and Rescue, said: “Exercises such as this are an important way for our volunteers to demonstrate the skills they need when out on a search. However, we wanted to let the people of Salisbury know that on 20th October they will see an increased presence of uniformed volunteers in and around Queen Elizabeth Gardens.

"This is nothing to worry about and the necessary agencies have been informed in advance and are working with us to make this exercise as realistic as possible. There will also be signs in the area telling passers-by that this is an exercise.”

Wiltshire Search and Rescue is a team of professionally-trained volunteers who are called out by Wiltshire Police and other emergency services to support with looking for vulnerable missing people.

This is one of a number of exercises that the team undertake every year to ensure they are skilled in a number of different search techniques, medical interventions and partnership working.

For more information about Wiltshire Search and Rescue go to wilsar.org.uk