NEW Forest residents are to benefit from internet training sessions as figures show nearly a quarter have only basic digital knowledge.

The data, from the Basic Digital Skills Report 2015 published by charity Go ON UK, also suggests that 13.4 per cent of adults in the area have never been online at all.

New Forest District Council is running a series of free events in New Milton between February 17 and March 29, at venues including the library, memorial centre and the Nedderman Centre, which will help people get online, use email and social media.

Councillor Jill Cleary said: "We would love the 23 per cent of people in the New Forest who do not have basic digital skills to have the opportunity to see how to get online, and what wonderful opportunities it can open up for them.

"Our recently recruited volunteers, the 'digital champions', will be at the drop in events to chat to people and show them the basics. They are all local people who are already using email, the web, and social media - but they are just like you and me, they aren't going to be using any techno-babble or go into any complicated detail about the internet."

To find out more, contact Alison Talbot on 023 8028 5588 or email alison.talbot@nfdc.gov.uk or visit www.newforest.gov.uk/digital.