Police across north Norfolk are going virtual as the district's force has now got its own Twitter account.

@NorthNorfPolice will be used by officers, PCSOs and the policing commander to update people living in and around the area about what is going on.

The account will be updated by representatives from each of the district's safer neighbourhood teams – the first group are all beat managers in their specific area.

As well as reassuring and informing local residents during major news stories, officers will update locals on arrests, charges, convictions and crime trends. They will also use the account to offer crime prevention advice and advertise local police surgeries and meetings.

Insp Kersty Brooks, who covers Fakenham, Wells and Holt and is leading the project, said: 'We don't just want it to be about warning people, we want to explain some of the things we do that they might not know about and give people another way to talk to us.

'Most of the tweets will come directly from officers based in the neighbourhoods and will give the public an insight into what's happening in their local area. Officers will be monitoring the site and use it as a way to communicate with the public about issues that matter to them.

'Twitter is hopefully a way to engage with a different group of people, those who don't want to go along to a priority meeting but who still want to have their say on policing in the district.

The account will cover Fakenham, Wells, Holt, Sheringham, Cromer, North Walsham and Stalham.