FIVE Kent towns have been earmarked to house refugee rescue centres in the event of a major terrorist strike on London.

Bexley, Orpington, Tonbridge, Maidstone and Ashford are mentioned in a leaked Government dossier, which revealed plans, codenamed Operation Sassoon, to move up to one million evacuees as quickly as possible away from danger in London to places of safety among surrounding boroughs and neighbouring counties.

Up to 100,000 people would be transported on 87 trains per hour during such a rescue mission, according to the dossier.

Chosen sites would have emergency reception centres set up to provide "covered accommodation with all-weather protection, allowing assembly and processing of evacuees."

Local authorities would also have to lay on short-term accommodation, providing snacks and drinks for the first 24 hours, and then buildings with more substantial meals and sleeping arrangements for 48 hours.

Nick Rowe, KCC's emergency planning officer, confirmed the accuracy of the information, but was reluctant to give further details until the plan is officially released.

He said: "I understand the Government is actually getting close to being prepared to talk openly about this, which is a good thing.

"Until the Londoners who will be expected to follow this plan have been told about it, there isn't really a plan."

Mr Rowe played down any suggestion that the towns would be besieged.

He said: "For a start, there has never been a terrorist event that requires mass evacuation, so it is very difficult to see when or why one would need to do it.

"However, it is a sound idea to have a concept of basic principles that could be implemented and could work and we would be ready to handle this if necessary in Kent."