EMERGENCY services put their skills to the test at the weekend during a training exercise.

Passers-by could have been forgiven for mistaking the scene, in which a train had collided with a car, was real as three people appeared to be cut from the wreckage in Shildon, County Durham.

But the overnight exercise on Saturday was set up to enable the rail industry and emergency services practise their response to a major accident.

It involved Network Rail and Arriva Trains Northern, the emergency services, British Transport Police, the local authority and voluntary organisations.

Those involved were given the chance to look at emergency response time, search and rescue plans, passenger care and investigation procedures.

They were also able to see how quickly they could restore a scene after a major incident.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "In order to comply with safety regulations, Network Rail and its industry partners carry out several such events throughout the country every year.

"It is an opportunity to demonstrate the company's preparedness to deal with a major incident."