Fire service marks a year on Twitter

Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service has celebrated one year on the micro-blogging site Twitter.

The service was the first in Scotland to use Twitter, and has since amassed more than 1000 followers, posting messages about a range of issues including community safety initiatives and station open days, fire safety advice, live incidents and the role of firefighters in their local communities.

During the first year on Twitter, the service has seen spikes in interest for incidents including an attack on fire crews and vandalism to their hoses during a large fire at a derelict school and a huge factory fire in West Lothian on the same day as the Papal visit to Edinburgh.

Watch Manager Lee Peyton, who was instrumental in the service's use of the micro-blogging site, said: "It is very good to know that there is an interest in what we do.

"It means in the event of a major incident/civil contingency we can reach a fair number of the local population through our tweets and retweets of our key messages."