A loud emergency phone alert set to go off across the UK could put domestic abuse survivors in Somerset at serious risk, a leading charity has warned.

The government will test its national emergency alert system at 3pm on Saturday 7 September, sending a loud alarm to millions of mobile phones. But Solace, a domestic abuse charity, says the alert could expose hidden phones used by survivors to contact support services safely.

Nahar Choudhury, CEO of Solace, said: "The upcoming national emergency alert test could put survivors of domestic abuse living with their partners at greater risk. Hidden phones are often a vital lifeline to access support safely when perpetrators control or monitor their primary devices.

"The upcoming alert could expose these phones and trigger further abuse. We are encouraging survivors to turn off their phones during the test, or to opt out of receiving emergency alerts."

Solace has published a step-by-step guide showing how to disable alerts, available on its website.

The charity is calling on the government to act urgently. "It should not, however, fall solely to charities to mitigate these risks," Choudhury added. "The government must prioritise survivor safety, working with experts to build these considerations into the emergency alert rollout from the outset. This is a preventable risk."

Anyone in Somerset who is worried about the alert can find full instructions for opting out here.