THE first Defence and Security Expo in the region took place at The Courtyard in Hereford and explored how big the defence sector is worth to the UK in exports.

The day-long event provided a forum for military, security agencies and suppliers to talk to each other and explore what opportunities there are to work together.

There were talks throughout the day and exhibition stands from the likes of QinetiQ, West Mercia Police and Global RadioData Communications Ltd.

Bill Jackson, chairman of the Hereford Enterprise Zone Board, introduced the morning speakers and said the enterprise zone was the only one in the UK which specialises in defence and security.

Tracy Buckingham, deputy director of operations at the Department for International Trade Defence and Security Organisation, said in 2015 the UK export defence industry was worth £11.7bn- £7.7bn of this was defence exports while £4bn was security exports.

She said 85 per cent of the defence exports were in the aerospace domain and 63 percent of total exports that year were to the Middle East.

Between the period of 2006 to 2015 the UK was second biggest exporter of defence, second only to the USA.

She explained how there is a huge amount of contracts available across the world from providing shoes for the Swedish military to providing dog food for the German army, which is available to view online.

Philip Margerison, suppliers service manager for the Ministry of Defence, said for the financial year ending in March 2015, the government spent £19.6bn on the armed forces, which is 40 to 45 percent of the government's total spend with industry.

And during the financial year ending in March 2016, there were 1,700 new contracts available with a value of £13.5bn. Contracts valued at over £10,000 are available to view on contracts.mod.uk.

Brigadier Robin Anderton-Brown said the range of potential threats to the UK is diverse and is now not just an opposing army on the other side of the channel.

He said the army now needs to modernise to face these new threats and the focus is more on information services required.

There was a protest in the morning outside the expo.

One of the protesters, Kim Holroyd, said: "We believe that The Courtyard should not be used as a venue for this kind of event. The theatre is for arts and entertainment and for family and friends. We don't believe it is compatible with what is going on inside right now."

The Herefordshire Defence and Security Expo was sponsored by Harrison Clark Rickerbys solicitors, Skylon Park and the University of Wolverhampton.