A royal visit was put to the test when flooding hit the borough and caused havoc this week.

The areas bordering the rivers Wey and Mole were affected when water levels topped the banks - in a thankfully fictional flooding scenario to test the readiness of flooding response at Elmbridge Emergency Control Centre.

A practical training exercise was held on Tuesday, October 14, to ensure everyone who would need to be, would be ready, should a real emergency strike the borough - with a pretend visit from royalty to really spice things up.

About 50 staff took part in the test, alongside partners from the Police, Paragon Housing, Surrey County Council, Runnymede, Spelthorne and Epsom and Ewell councils, London boroughs of Richmond and Kingston were also involved.

Surrey Comet:

As part of the fictional practice, the staff had to find temporary accommodation for affected residents, field calls from national media and ensure everyone had access to the required resources.

Portfolio holder for corporate development Councillor Ruth Mitchell said: "In an emergency situation, like we have experienced with flooding, people and property are at risk and it is especially important that our most vulnerable residents are cared for.

"The exercise is always an important part of our emergency planning. It provides a safe learning environment for our new staff, and a refresher for staff who have been involved in previous emergency situations."

As winter approaches, households should familiarise themselves with their own emergency plans.

For more information on how to prepare, visit elmbridge.gov.uk.