A siren to warn residents of an emergency at the gas terminal on the Isle of Grain will sound today.

The Grain village siren is due to be tested between 11am and 12.30pm. The siren will sound four times and will include a voice message stating it is a test.

The emergency notification service will also be tested today. Residents who have signed up to the service will receive a text message between 2pm and 3.30pm.

The siren will only ever be used "in anger" if there is an emergency at the terminal, which provides a fifth of the UK’s gas.

If it sounds, residents are advised to go indoors, shut their windows and listen to the radio.

It is a requirement that the emergency plans, both on and off-site, be tested at least once every three years.

A major accident is described as “an occurrence (including in particular, a major emission, fire or explosion) resulting from uncontrolled developments in the course of the operation of any establishment and leading to serious danger to human health or the environment, immediate or delayed, inside or outside the establishment and involving one or more dangerous substances.”

The Grain village siren consists of four alarms lasting two minutes each.

There are two different tones: on hearing the first alert people should “go in, stay in, and tune in”. A different tone will sound the all-clear.

This will mean the incident is contained and any leak of LNG stopped.

For more information, click here.