WILTSHIRE and China forged links as county emergency planning officers met with their Chinese counterparts.

A 20-strong group of planners from the Shanghai Administration Institute visited County Hall in Trowbridge on a fact-finding tour.

The county council's chief emergency planning officer, Mark Kimberlin, said: "Emergency planning is essential wherever you are in the world.

"Wiltshire has a strong emergency planning partnership and I am sure the Chinese delegation will find their visit useful. I hope we will learn something from them as well."