Emergency services have dealt with the aftermath of a blazing jumbo jet at Kent International Airport in Thanet.

But the full scale alert on Thursday night was only an exercise - and the dead and injured were acting.

The dramatic scene sparked alarm and interest in unsuspecting motorists passing the Manston site.

Minster resident Sue Whelan, who drove past, said: “It looked very dramatic from the road. There were loads of lights, the runway was lit up and there were lots of ambulances loaded up with people and screaming cars and emergency vehicles heading towards the scene.”

Scores of police, fire and ambulance personnel were at the scene between 6.30 and 9pm to deal with “a 747 with a fire on board diverted to Manston”.

The airport’s own fire fighting service was the focus of the activity for the exercise, which was overseen by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Victims, supplied by the Casualties Union, were made up to look the part with cards around their necks describing their injuries.