DRAMATIC scenes like this could soon become a regular sight in Bury - as part of an emergency services training initiative.

Greater Manchester Police, the Fire and Rescue Service, and the North West Ambulance Service joined forces last Thursday for a public order training session to ensure an effective and unified response to major incidents.

The scenario saw firefighters and ambulance crews deal with a staged road traffic collision, before police were confronted by rioters who threw petrol bombs and bricks.

Training events like this are currently held at Manchester Central fire station, but will be moving to Bury once GMFRS' state-of-the-art operational training centre opens in Wellington Street.

The 10-acre area of land has been transformed to provide realistic training and development for firefighters as well as an interactive community facility for residents.

GMFRS’ Head of Operational Training, Area Manager Mark O’Brien said: : “Our firefighters train every day to ensure they are fully prepared to deal with any incident they may face and over recent years we have done more and more collaborative training with our partners including GMP and NWAS.

“It’s important that we make the training as realistic as possible and during these events we often use volunteers to role play and add that sense of realism to really test the firefighters and officers.

“Our new operational training and community centre that’s currently being built in Bury will allow us to do even more of this kind of realistic training to maintain and develop the skills of our frontline staff.”

GMP Assistant Chief Constable John O'Hare said: "It is essential that our officers are trained to the highest standards to prepare them for the incredible challenge of policing serious disorder.

"Training must reflect reality and we are using this programme of events to really test our tactics, equipment and capability.

"As with any major incident response, it is important that all emergency services work closely together to provide the most appropriate and swift response to support our communities."

Construction began on the new Bury facility in May 2015 and is expected to be completed by this Autumn.