Mobile phone users will be sent up-to-the-minute warnings

Oxfordshire residents are among the first to be offered the emergency messaging service that will see them sent up-to-the-minute flooding news.

The local council has ensured that the county is the first to sign up to the City Alert Texting System (Cats), which will also send out warnings covering a range of emergencies - including terror attacks.

Under the scheme, mobile phone users living in areas at risk from high waters can receive specific warnings direct from the emergency services.

John Kelly, emergency planning officer for Oxfordshire County Council, said: "We have been looking for some time to find an easy system for alerting the public to major incidents and the Cats system uses modern technology which will ensure an alert message to those who have registered.

We hope that through Oxfordshire's actions we will accelerate the national roll-out of what we believe is a life-saving system. Malcolm Pearson, Eazytext

"The cost to the public for each post code registered is modest and mainly done by reverse billing.

"The system will apply to any potential emergency, not just flooding."

Malcolm Pearson, sales director at Eazytext C.A.T.S Communications Ltd, added: "This is the first county in the UK to go live with this emergency SMS system with a further 180 emergency planners in discussion with us.

"We hope that through Oxfordshire's actions we will accelerate the national roll-out of what we believe is a life-saving system."

Those signing up to the system will be charged �1.50 per year.