POLICE in Tadley have used networking site Twitter to warn a resident about taking the mickey.

Twitter user James Bodin, who goes by the name Bodiniho on the social networking site, sent an online message to Tadley police warning: “I’m going to urinate in some gardens tonight in Tadley #CatchMeIfYouCan”.

Unimpressed, the police responded: “Probably best if you don’t, local residents wont(sic) appreciate it, neither will we #£80fineortriptocourt.”

The Twitter user then continued to taunt the officers throughout the evening just before Christmas, tweeting: ‘There ain’t no helicopters yet’ and ‘in these times of global warming I’m just watering the plants.”

He tweeted the next day apologising to his followers and blaming alcohol for the messages.

Seemingly repentant, on Christmas Day he sent Tadley police a message saying: “Merry Christmas boys in blue!’ The Tadley police Twitter account, which was created in mid-November, is used by the police to communicate with their 197 followers, posting warnings and information about recent incidents and criminal convictions.

PC Steve Rogerson, of Tadley police station, was behind the warning tweet.

He said: “Sometimes we do get people who think they can take the mickey on our Twitter account, but we try to respond to make them understand that we do take things seriously.

“We try to keep things light-hearted and have a bit of banter, while keeping things professional.

“People seem to be enjoying following us and it’s a good way of letting people know what we’re doing, while reminding people that we are human too.”