diff --git a/mesh_bot.py b/mesh_bot.py
index 1ddbd76..938fb6a 100755
--- a/mesh_bot.py
+++ b/mesh_bot.py
@@ -277,7 +277,10 @@ def handle_motd(message, message_from_id, isDM):
 
 def handle_wxalert(message_from_id, deviceID, message):
     if use_meteo_wxApi:
-        return "wxalert is not supported"
+        if useEUalerts:
+            return get_govUK_alerts()
+        else:
+            return "wxalert is not supported"
     else:
         location = get_node_location(message_from_id, deviceID)
         if "wxalert" in message:
diff --git a/modules/locationdata_eu.py b/modules/locationdata_eu.py
index b58749c..4e618b7 100644
--- a/modules/locationdata_eu.py
+++ b/modules/locationdata_eu.py
@@ -12,14 +12,19 @@ from modules.log import *
 trap_list_location_eu = ("ukalert", "ukwx", "ukflood")
 
 def get_govUK_alerts():
-    # get UK weather alerts
-    url = 'https://www.gov.uk/alerts'
-    response = requests.get(url)
-    soup = bs.BeautifulSoup(response.text, 'html.parser')
-    # the alerts are in <h2 class="govuk-heading-m" id="alert-status">
-    alert = soup.find('h2', class_='govuk-heading-m', id='alert-status')
+    try:
+        # get UK.gov alerts
+        url = 'https://www.gov.uk/alerts'
+        response = requests.get(url)
+        soup = bs.BeautifulSoup(response.text, 'html.parser')
+        # the alerts are in <h2 class="govuk-heading-m" id="alert-status">
+        alert = soup.find('h2', class_='govuk-heading-m', id='alert-status')
+    except Exception as e:
+        logger.warning("Error getting UK alerts: " + str(e))
+        return "System: Error getting UK alerts"
+    
     if alert:
-        return alert.get_text(strip=True)
+        return "🚨" + alert.get_text(strip=True)
     else:
         return "No alerts"
     
diff --git a/modules/settings.py b/modules/settings.py
index 4765ce5..5fc62f6 100644
--- a/modules/settings.py
+++ b/modules/settings.py
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ try:
     latitudeValue = config['location'].getfloat('lat', 48.50)
     longitudeValue = config['location'].getfloat('lon', -123.0)
     use_meteo_wxApi = config['location'].getboolean('UseMeteoWxAPI', False) # default False use NOAA
-    includeEUalerts = config['location'].getboolean('includeEUalerts', False) # default False
+    useEUalerts = config['location'].getboolean('includeEUalerts', False) # default False
     use_metric = config['location'].getboolean('useMetric', False) # default Imperial units
     forecastDuration = config['location'].getint('NOAAforecastDuration', 4) # NOAA forcast days
     numWxAlerts = config['location'].getint('NOAAalertCount', 2) # default 2 alerts
diff --git a/modules/system.py b/modules/system.py
index 0559f82..7dcb4bf 100644
--- a/modules/system.py
+++ b/modules/system.py
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ if location_enabled:
     from modules.locationdata import * # from the spudgunman/meshing-around repo
     trap_list = trap_list + trap_list_location # items tide, whereami, wxc, wx
     help_message = help_message + ", whereami, wx, wxc, rlist"
-    if includeEUalerts:
+    if useEUalerts:
         from modules.locationdata_eu import * # from the spudgunman/meshing-around repo
         trap_list = trap_list + trap_list_location_eu
         #help_message = help_message + ", ukalert, ukwx, ukflood"