STUDENTS in Oxford are being urged not to make a Twit of themselves on May Morning.

Social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook will be used to target revellers, and authorities will be tracking any plans to jump from Magdalen Bridge.

The websites are being monitored closely for signs of possible trouble.

This year is the first time the bridge has been open for the traditional May Morning celebrations since 2005, when 40 people were injured after jumping into the Cherwell.

Twitter was not launched until 2006 and Facebook was in its infancy.

Both are now major communication tools for students and young people. And Oxford City Council, which is leading the organisation of this year’s celebrations, is using the sites to get its message across.

Information on events across the city, such as bars and restaurants open for business, will be tweeted in the run up to the day and relayed by organisations including the universities.

The authority is also monitoring Twitter and Facebook to gather intelligence on anyone planning to defy advice and jump.

A senior council source told the Oxford Mail: “All we are trying to do is use is use the networks students use to find out if there are plans to jump so we know about it. We also want to get the message out that it’s a stupid thing to do.”

In March, city leaders and police controversially opted to open the bridge for this year’s celebrations, despite reservations from South Central Ambulance Service.

It is hoped more events around the city could help draw revellers away from Magdalen Bridge.

Council spokesman Louisa Dean said: “It’s not just about the morning.

“There are lots of events going on throughout the day.”

Oxford Brookes University spokesman Ed Reed said: “The Facebook message the university posted about May Morning has received 9,162 page impressions which is the raw number of times the page has been seen on our wall and in the news feeds of our fans.”