The 180-metre-long barrier will be erected in Bewdley by the Environment Agency on Wednesday in a day-long mock emergency exercise.

It will be the first time the multi-million pound defence has been tested in 'real' conditions.

Bewdley was hit by its worst floods in more than 50 years in November 2000 and, with Shrewsbury, is the first British town to get the defences.

'Unique exercise'

It has taken more than a year to complete the building work which was carried out in Severn Side North.

Permanent steel base plates have been installed so that steel posts can be bolted into them and aluminium barriers slotted into place.

The Environment Agency's area flood defence manager Peter May said: "This exercise is unique in that it is the first in the country to use them during a simulated event."

The exercise will start at 0730 GMT on Wednesday and the barriers will remain in place until Thursday.