THE Oxford Mail is looking for volunteers to test a free new service to send news and sports bulletins straight to your phone using Whatsapp.

It is believed to be the first time a British newspaper has launched a service using the popular social messaging service and the Oxford Mail’s trial project will start on Monday.

The service is free and will send links to the Oxford Mail’s phone-friendly mobile website rather than its conventional site, as well as providing news alerts and pictures.

Assistant editor Jason Collie said: “It is estimated more than a quarter of the UK’s population are on Whatsapp and its advantage is that it alerts you straight away when we send a bulletin, so you get the news straight away.

“And for those with smartwatches, it even means you get that breaking news alert delivered right to you wrist.

“It’s an exciting new service for us and builds on all the other digital products we offer, our Twitter and Facebook streams, our Oxford Mail app, as well as oxfordmail.co.uk.

“But we are also very open minded as to how it is going to work, which is why we are asking our readers to be involved with its creation.

“It may well be our ideas on how it will be used and what type of alerts are different to the readers but we will be very much guided by them.

“And of course it then opens up an avenue for readers to share their news and pictures with us.”

Users’ details will not be shared by the Oxford Mail with any external company. You will be asked for some feedback about what alerts work and other features you might want to see.

If you are interested in joining our trial, email your details, including your mobile phone number to whatsapp@oxfordmail.co.uk