Braveheart tweeter forced to think again

But in 2011, the fight is over the right to use Twitter and the "enemy" is a history festival.

The modern day Wallace and his faithful troops have been banned from using Twitter to discuss battle tactics at a forthcoming re-enactment.

The organisers of the History Festival 2011 feared the details could fall into the hands of their English enemies and ruin the spontaneity of the skirmish for spectators.

The offending tweets have been deleted and members of Medieval Clydesdale re-enactment group have agreed not to use the social networking site again until the battle is over.

Wallace himself - former police officer Kenny Ellis - branded the Twitter crackdown "over the top" but agreed to suspend his @williamwallace1 account until hostilities cease.

The history festival takes place at Lanark race course on August 20 and 21. Some 600 heavily-armed re-enactors will stage various blood-curdling battles involving Picts, Romans and Vikings.

But the biggest draw for most history fans will be an early-14th-century skirmish between Wallace's troops and the forces of Edward I - The Hammer of the Scots.

Medieval Clydesdale are no less determined to win the day than their forebears and took to Twitter as a quick and convenient way of talking tactics.

Ellis, tweeting as @williamwallace1, wrote: "the skirmish was great last year but let's make sure we win this one - any ideas"

Suggestions came in about hiding in woodland but a user called @Braveheart1 was quick to point out a problem.

He tweeted: "no trees - but there is a crowd - maybe hold a group back and sneak through the crowd to attack from behind?"

Inspired by another great Scottish military leader, @robertbruce123 replied: "Nice one - or maybe a fake retreat followed by a charge?"

But Medieval Clydesdale did not bother - or know how - to make their tweets private and they soon came to the attention of the event organisers.

The history festival complained that because the fight was a skirmish, rather than a specific battle with a known outcome, they risked ruining the element of surprise for the Auld Enemy and audience.

Event manager George Topp told Scotland on Sunday: "We pride ourselves on keeping our battle re-enactments as realistic as possible and the element of surprise is an important part of any battle.

"We discovered that re-enactors were discussing battle plans online, giving opponents chance to see their strategies.

"So we've told everyone to stop tweeting until after the event."

He insisted the ban was not anti-Twitter. "Social media is a great way to help reach new audiences and appeal to younger history fans," he said. "We have our own Twitter feed for the event."

Ellis, a father of four, has been taking part in the re-enactments for a decade.

He worked until recently as a police officer based at Lanark Sheriff Court. Ironically, Ellis protected Lanark sheriffs unlike the real Wallace who had William de Heselrig, Sheriff of Lanark, assassinated.Ellis said: "I was surprised at the ban and I thought it was maybe over the top and a warning would have sufficed.

"But I wouldn't want anything to affect the success of the festival so I have complied and deleted my Twitter account until after the festival."

He added: "As the people taking part in these re-enactments live miles apart, and sometimes in different countries, Twitter is a great way to communicate.

"But in battle, the element of surprise is key, so, although the ban is not ideal, it will improve the spectacle."

Rosalind Hilton, of the Medieval Clydesdale re-enactment group, conceded that the use of Twitter to discuss battle plans may not have been tactically sound.

She said: "Twitter is part of modern society but, judging by what has happened, it is a good job it wasn't around when these battles were being fought for real."

She added: "Tweeting battle plans is the modern day equivalent of sending a messenger with a white flag to the enemy camp to tell them exactly what you are going to do next."

Meanwhile, the Wallace warriors' discomfiture is openly relished by the Vikings.

Gail Wilson, from the Glasgow Vikings re-enactment group, crowed: "The situation was down to the medievalists and it's right that the ban has now been introduced.

"The Vikings would never be as silly as to be caught out like that - they know the need for the element of surprise."

The re-enactors are by no means the first people to have their wrists slapped over Twitter use. Earlier this month Premier league footballer Wayne Rooney was criticised for telling a follower "I'll put u asleep within 10 seconds" after being provoked. Dragon's Den star Duncan Bannatyne was carpeted for tweeting he would reward anyone who broke the arms of a man who threatened his daughter, and Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton found himself on the transfer list for making derogatory tweets about his club.