STUDENTS donned theatrical make up to simulate bomb injuries for an exercise to test how the hospital would respond to an explosion in the town centre.

The live emergency exercise, called Exercise Escorial, revolved around an explosion caused by incendiary devices.

In the scenario, a large number of adults and children were hurt and had to be taken to hospital with a variety of injuries.

Barnsley College supplied volunteer ‘victims’ who wore theatrical make-up to simulate injuries.

Those in the explosion were also contaminated by a toxic substance, and the services used specialised decontamination equipment which can shower off and clean up to 60 people per hour.

The hospital must hold a live exercise every three years as part of its national legal duties, and the exercise took place on Tuesday.