Royal Bermuda Regiment troops will face petrol bombs and mock riots as they learn crowd control techniques while training overseas.

More than 100 RBR troops and eight members of the Cayman Island Regiment attended Lydd Camp in Kent, UK to sharpen their skills in de-escalation and crowd control.

Warrant Officer Class 2 Julian Simmons, the Company Sergeant Major for the exercising company, said the training was meant to bring them up to speed in case they were deployed overseas.

Sergeant Major Simmons added: “The public order demand may not have been utilised in a number of years, but this training exercise is to bring everyone up to current standards and make sure that the skills and drills are compliant with new regulations.

“The exercise also gives the troops an outlook on the levels of training that are required to deliver an effective public order response.”

The soldiers practised formations, manoeuvres and responding to circumstances such as rioters or casualties.

Troops will learn how tensions can escalate in moments of civil unrest and will face petrol bombs to mimic realistic scenarios.

Sergeant Major Simmons explained: “Public order training is meant to take the troops outside of their comfort zones.

“It’s a short flash to bang for those who have never done it, and they will appreciate tremendously the efforts taken by the other troops who do it on a regular basis.”

The regiment’s UK training will take two weeks and will see them travel to Catterick, Yorkshire for the second half of their visit.

Captain Andrew Wallace, the Officer Commanding of the overseas exercise company, said: “The facility at Lydd is probably the best that the British Army has. It’s a huge privilege to use it.

“It’s unfamiliar territory for Bermudians, which is a massive bonus because that allows us to be tested in our navigational skills.”

Captain Wallace recognised the relationship between RBR and the Cayman Islands Regiment, which has worked with the RBR for six years.

He added: “It’s nice to see familiar faces and we’re happy that we got to introduce them to this exercise.

“It’s a new experience for them and it’s good for the bonding on British Overseas Territories.”