The UK government are set to role out the first-ever nationwide public alert system test on Sunday afternoon. Millions of mobile phones across the country will receive the alert, alongside a loud alarm at 3pm on Sunday, April 23.
The system is intended to be used in life-threatening situations, such as flooding and wildfires. The alert coincides with a number of sporting events that are taking place, with spectators at the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield urged to turn their mobile phones off, which is the only way to avoid receiving the alert.
Even if you put your phone on silent, you will still receive the message and alarm sound, which has led the World Snooker Championship to take the decision and temporarily pause proceedings at 3pm. Tottenham are set to face Newcastle at St. James' Park tomorrow afternoon, meaning supporters that are in attendance will receive the alert prior to the second half.
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Spurs will kick-off at 2pm on Tyneside as they look to take points off the Magpies in the race for a top four spot. The first half will end around 2:45pm, depending on additional time, with second half action set to get underway around 3pm.
With the government set to role out the alert across the nation at that time, Premier League clubs are preparing a warning to supporters through stadium announcements prior to the scheduled time for the test. Bournemouth vs West Ham and Newcastle vs Tottenham are the two Premier League fixtures that kick-off at 2pm meaning announcements will be made at the Vitality Stadium and St. James' Park.
The alert will last for around 10 seconds but it is likely that the second-half of the 2pm fixtures will not resume until after the alert has been tested to avoid distractions in the stadium. The message will say: “This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.
“In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information.
“This is a test. You do not need to take any action.”
Phone users will be prompted to swipe away the message or click “OK” on their home screen before being able to continue using their device. Many fans may choose to turn their phones off during the match to avoid receiving the alert, but it could produce quite the noise if all 52,000 supporters at St. James' Park receive the alert.
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