OLDHAM Hour is celebrating four years of bringing businesses and the community together.

The Twitter marketing initiative was started in April 2014 by a handful of local business owners and its account is now followed by over 6,500 organisations.

Users gather for an electronic huddle every Monday between 9-10pm so they can chat, ask for help and share news of services and events they’re involved in.

And it has now started bringing interested parties together for a regular after-work meet up at Molino Lounge, in Parliament Square, second Friday of the month.

The hashtag #OldhamHour can be used anytime enabling people to use it to interact with others and check local news without having to trawl the twitter timeline.

Original member and host of Oldham Hour, Lee Hollinworth, of Whittaker Design, said: “Many people interact each week under the ethos of ‘Get Oldham Talking’. Quite a lot of banter, but in the main, sharing of information about events and business opportunities in the Oldham area.

"As you would expect it’s a friendly meeting place for businesses, event organisers and the people of Oldham. Many participants have gained good connections and are now working together or refer work to each other, or have simply gained new clients.”

Regular user, Reverend Jean Hurlston, founder of Oldham Street Angels, said:"Linking into @Oldham_Hour has transformed our Street Angels organisation.

"We’ve received so much support/gifts/volunteers we feel humbled and proud to be part of the community."

For more information on how you can join the Oldham Hour group go to www.oldhamhour.co.uk.