Today MI5 announced that the average Joe can now subscribe to receive terror alert status change notification emails. Apparently you can go onto the MI5 website and register and you'll get an email whenever the terror threat level changes (currently Severe). I've had a quick gander around the site and I can't find anywhere to register just yet (I'm curious to see what the email will look like), but it did conjure up a strange image in my mind when I first heard it on the news...

Picture it... Al Qaida hijack a plane (who cares where from, it's a story) and head straight for Thames House (MI5 HQ). Naturally, air traffic control will catch wind of this very quickly and let the powers-that-be know which will in turn lead to the mass evacuation of Thames House - except for one poor sole.

PA system: "This is an emergency. Would everyone please stop what they are doing immediately and leave the building in a calm and efficient manner. Do not panic."

John: "Oh feck!! We're going to die! What am I going to do? Leg it. Quick!!"

Dave: "Oh pooh!! I'm right behind you. RUUUUNNNNN!!!"

Dave: "Oh wait, I've just got to quickly email the 2 million people who subscribe to the terror alert service."

The email:

Dear subscriber.

I hereby wish to inform you that the Security Service Terror Alert status has been changed to Critical.

Please do not panic, this is just a notification of the change in status.

Oh bugger it, there's a plane flying towards MI5 HQ and I'm gonna die if I don't leg it now.

Love you all.
Dave.

Warped, I know, but it's the first thing that came to mind when I heard the news this morning. I really hope they're not relying on some administrator to be the one who has to break the news to the UK like this.

Once I find how to register, I will and I'll paste a copy of an email on this site.