An internet blogger from Shropshire will go head-to-head with TV brainbox Stephen Fry in a bid to become Twitter user of the year at a national awards ceremony.

Technology blogger Jason Slater, from Telford, has been nominated for two gongs at the UK IT Blog Awards run by Computer Weekly.

He has made the shortlist in two categories to find himself competing against Fry.

The categories are individual male IT professional and IT Twitter user of the year, in which QI presenter and actor Fry is also shortlisted.

The father-of-three, who works in the IT department at food firm Single Source Ltd, based on Stafford Park, started blogging because of his love of technology and gadgets.

He now has more than 25,000 hits on his website every month and a large following on social networking site Twitter.

Jason, 39, of Priorslee, said he thought it was a wind-up when he first heard he had been nominated.

“I was gobsmacked to be honest,” he said.

“I heard via an e-mail out of the blue that I had been nominated and I didn’t think anything of it, but then soon after I heard a judging panel had shortlisted me in two categories for the finals.

“I couldn’t believe it because there are some big names in contention for the awards and I am just a local boy from Telford.”

Also joining Fry and Jason in the running for Twitterer of the year are the BBC’s Rory Cellan-Jones and Guardian writer Charles Arthur.

Jason received his invitation to the awards ceremony at Shoreditch House in London on November 25.

“With the likes of Stephen Fry there it certainly promises to be an interesting night,” Jason said.

Jason started blogging to help others get to grips with modern technology and stimulate debate.

Recent blogs have focused on the new Windows 7 as well as different techniques of using Twitter and helping out with computer problems.

He has been with partner Sharon Stringer for 17 years and the couple have three children — Jessica, four, Daniel, three, and baby Jacob, who was born on November 1.

For further information on the IT awards or how to vote for Jason, log onto his website www.jasonslater.co.uk

By Wayne Beese