Amber Alert - Giles Price Photography

The BIKINI state was an alert state indicator previously used by the UK Ministry of Defence to warn of non-specific forms of terroist activity, established on 19 May 1970. According to the Ministry of Defence, the word bikini was randomly selected by a computer.

The highest levels of alert, RED and AMBER, were only intended to be maintained for limited times. The WHITE state has never been used in the history of the system.

Level AMBER = There has been specific information received and there is a substantial threat to government targets. It can also mean “high alert”, which could be transition to war.

It was replaced by a more general and public terrorism alert status, UK threat levels, an alert state system in use by the British Government since 1 August 2006.

This series of images were shot around the perimeter fence of the London 2012 Olympic Games site during its construction. The UK threat level was raised during this period to 'Substantial' which is equivalent to the old 'Amber', this continued for the duration of the games itself.

Amber Alert

Amber Alert

The highest levels of alert, RED and AMBER, were only intended to be maintained for limited times. The WHITE state has never been used in the history of the system.

Level AMBER = There has been specific information received and there is a substantial threat to government targets. It can also mean “high alert”, which could be transition to war.

It was replaced by a more general and public terrorism alert status, UK threat levels, an alert state system in use by the British Government since 1 August 2006.

This series of images were shot around the perimeter fence of the London 2012 Olympic Games site during its construction. The UK threat level was raised during this period to ‘Substantial’ which is equivalent to the old ‘Amber’, this continued for the duration of the games itself.

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