There’s a small band of people who no Shropshire tweeter can afford not to follow. They are the people who deliver the news, form opinion and tell us what’s happening – sometimes before it’s even happened.

They’re also funny, witty, wry, real: they talk about the sort of lives that you and I, dear reader, live day in and day out. It would be impossible to draw up a definitive list of every single Shropshire person who everyone ought to follow.

We’d have to stage some form of Twitter election which would take forever and cost a fortune – the two things that Twitter aims to avoid doing.

So, in no particular order of importance, we bring you a selection of Shropshire’s finest tweeters, with reasons why you should follow them, with their approximate number of followers:

@actonscottmuse (800) – The Twitter account for Acton Scott Historic Working Museum.

@alipinknails (700) – Popular local volunteer, involved in running and voluntary work.

@AlisonBukhari (1,900) – A Shrewsbury linchpin involved in hill walking, theatre, coffee houses and plenty more besides.

@arcadeparadeUK (100) – Youthful indie band who won Shropshire’s Next Big Thing.

@ashroplad (1,000) – For Shropshire arts and photography.

@benjiw (1,700) – Book club leader, youth group leader and parish councillor in Telford.

@bestofoswestry (2,700) The Twitter account for John Waine, a man who is passionate about Oswestry and is involved in many of the town’s community events.

@beingboycie (12,000) – Shropshire actor John Challis, AKA Boycie, from Only Fools And Horses.

@brockhallfarm (2,000) – Award-winning Bridgnorth goat’s cheese-maker.

@BryonyJCarter (600) – A Shropshire Wildlife Trust worker with a degree in ecology and conservation who is passionate about the county’s countryside and providing people with access to nature.

@caradoca (200) – History specialist who also tweets from @Flax_Maltings, @stlaurencesvp and @joannalayton.

@christopherchew (800) – Part of the Shrewsbury Flower Show team, described by friends as a wise and funny man.

@clairedowdall (1,700) – A social-media and marketing expert who knows what she’s tweeting about. Also a running widow and mom.

@communitiescan (800) – A community development company helping Shropshire’s voluntary sector.

@courtlady (500) – community-minded and indefatigable brass band leader in Ironbridge.

@dawnuptheroad (1,400) – An award-nominated tweeter offering an alternative and uncensored view on life.

@elitheddc (900) – A dyslexic campaigner passionate about raising awareness about dyslexic. The sponsor and organiser of Dyslexia Information Day.

@hiveshrewsbury (1,600) – A community arts venue that provides outreach to young people in the community.

@hoptonhousebnb (7,000) – Twitter queen of the B&B industry, and one of the first to start bringing the Shropshire Twitter community together.

@janminihane (3,000) – Shropshire social media expert.

@jimallthetime (5,000) – Jim Hawkins, BBC Radio Shropshire broadcaster, writer and event host.

@jkertland (100) – A man described by others as the world’s coolest man. He is a teacher, trainer, DJ, record label owner and music archivist.

@keithbarrow21 (800) – Shropshire Council’s leader and its most candid politician.

@kit2kat (1,700) – Dorrington resident and community activist.

@LaBecasseLudlow (2,800) – Shropshire’s celebrity chef Will Holland.

@lauherbs (300) – Graduate and apprentice manager for Shropshire Council.

@likeaword (1,700) – Social media expert involved in not-for-profit companies.

@loveturtledoves (1,700) – quintessentially Shropshire tweeter, who combines recycling, charity and Great British design.

@marcusbeanchef (3,900) – Celebrity chef and owner of the New Inn, at Baschurch.

@markberry (1,000) – A director at AFC Telford Utd and go-getting community innovator.

@maryking009 (100) – A heritage expert and architect who is also a part-time conservation officer involved in Shropshire’s parks, gardens and country houses.

@meandwheels (200) – Campaigner who focuses on helping people with disabilities to reach their potential. Runs a number of organisations involved in doing that, including wave-length.

@mrsnickyclark(7,500) – Shropshire-based campaigner for Ambitious about Autism.

@penval (700) – A social media expert, volunteer and sometime pantomime dame.

@portlightsmusic (20,000) – Indie band who were runners-up in the Shrophire Star’s Next Big Thing Contest.

@Pricesthebakers (1,500) – Shropshire’s influential ‘real bread’ baker Peter Cook.

@Rachelonthehill (400) – Ludlow Assembly Rooms director, arts and culture buff and knitting enthusiast.

@roybroad (900) – A Shropshire PR consultant who links numerous business together, making him quietly significant to Shropshire business.

@saltsolutionsuk (2,500) – A wise woman, business advisor and life coach.

@severnhospice (2,800) – The county’s hospice, which puts life into days.

@shrewsburyark (200) – A direct access day centre for the most vulnerable residents of Shrewsbury, offering them advice and support.

@shrewsburyfolk (3,700) – The country’s annual folk festival, which attracts around 6,000 people to Shropshire each year. Exclusive news and announcements are made from their Twitter account.

@shrewsfoodfest (300) – The county’s newest festival, showcasing artisan food and producers from around Shropshire. Due to launch at Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park on June 29 and 30 next year.

@ShropsArchitect (4,400) – Award-winning Shropshire architect Matthew Franklin, who is also a self builder, blogger, musician and dad.

@sistf_tweets (3,500) – Shrewsbury International Street Theatre Festival is the county’s biggest free-to-attend event, bringing 30,00 people to the streets of Shrewsbury each summer.

@telfordchaplain (400) – as the Bible put it, the salt of the earth

@telfordlive (2,600) – Providing a guide to what’s on in and around Telford.

@timb30 (800) – The Twitter account for Tim Beech, BBC Shropshire’s managing editor.

@timkingshrops (1,300) – The county’s tourist boss who shone the spotlight on Much Wenlock during Olympic year and is responsible for spreading the good word about Shropshire to an audience in the millions.

@timpage001 (1,200) – school governor, family man, people like Tim are the backbone of Shropshire.

Essentail emergency tweeters

West Mercia Police: @wmerciapolice

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service: @shropsfire and @SFRSincidents

Shropshire Air Ambulance: @AirOneHeli

Shropshire Council: @ShropCouncil

Telford & Wrekin Council: @TelfordWrekin

Shropshire Star tweeters

@ShropshireStar – The main account for the Shropshire Star, with news on the whole of the county

@KHarrison_Star – A behind-the-scenes look at the Star, from editor Keith Harrison

@CarlJones1 – The Star’s assistant editor, film critic and 007 superfan Carl Jones

@AndyRichardson1 – Writer, photographer and the journalist responsible for this list

@BurrowsAbout – Assistant news editor Dave Burrows is king of the one-liner and Shropshire’s funniest columnist

@ChrisBurn1987 – Chief reporter for the Shrewsbury edition of the Star with the latest news from the town

@AnnClarkson – Chief reporter for the Star’s Telford edition, gym coach and swimming official

@ChrissySymmons – Reporter in our Oswestry office who also covers local bands for The Ticket

@JamesGarrison5 – Sports writer for the Star, who covers (and tweets from) Shrewsbury Town matches home and away

@ThomKennedy – The Star’s business editor tweeting the latest news from Shropshire companies

See the full list at: https://twitter.com/ShropshireStar/shropshire-star-staff/

Our sister weekly papers have also joined Twitter. Why not follow:

@TelfordJournal @HerefordJournal @ShrewsburyChron @BridgnorthJourn @SouthShropJourn @MarketDraytonAd @OswestryChron @NewportAd

@MidWalesJournal @NorthShropChron

Join the debate: Tweet @shropshirestar and @andy richardson1, using the hashtag #shroptweets