A MAJOR two-day exercise involving a serial killer at large in the Lake District put policing, paramedic and forensic science undergraduates to the test at Ambleside's University of Cumbria campus.

A series of crime scenes was set up to test the skills and resourcefulness of students who had to think on their feet and put their classroom training into practice to solve a complex crime.

They were told a murderer was killing young couples and leaving their bodies scattered around campus, each without their socks and shoes.

The cause of death in each case was a gunshot wound and the killer left a calling card - a piece of a puzzle.

Policing students, all volunteer special constables with Cumbria Constabulary, were first on the scene and then had to quickly manage the event from a makeshift incident room on campus.

Sniffer dogs were used to weed out any illegal substances found - adding realism to the event.

When clues or bodies were found, forensic science students collected evidence at the scenes and transported it back to the laboratories on campus for immediate analysis.

Paramedic students were summoned to tend to casualties with a host of different injuries ranging from gunshot wounds to psychological trauma.

Many of the students are serving army medics, currently training for a degree in paramedic practice.

After two days of gruesome discoveries including multiple bodies, devastating injuries and a realistic hostage situation, students finally closed the net in on the killer - James Williams, an anatomical pathologist.

With the game almost up, the authorities were in a race against time to find James before he killed those around him and himself.

Many characters were played by university lecturers during what was the first event of its kind at the Ambleside campus.

Event organiser Ashleigh Hunt, a forensic science lecturer, said: “Hands-on experience like this is invaluable for our students. This realistic and unique teaching environment allows them to use the knowledge they have gained during lectures and apply them in a life-like setting.

"It’s a real bonus to be able to bring together students from three of our courses, as well as numerous staff from different departments at the Ambleside campus. Although the students are aware the exercise is taking place, they have no idea what situations they will have to deal with until they are called to the scene.”