Emojis 'help' search Highland Council services

Emojis can be used as a shortcut on smart phones when searching for information on Highland Council services.

People can type www.highland.gov.uk into the address bar then add a forward slash followed by an emoji.

So far the emojis available are a happy face or thumbs up for comments and compliments, but an angry face or thumbs down for complaints.

A house takes people to the council's website page on housing.

A symbol of a cow helps navigate to the local authority's information on various types of licences, including those needed for keeping certain kinds of animals.

More emojis are to be introduced at later dates.

Darren MacLeod, digital services manager at the local authority, said: "Although emojis are usually associated with fun, there is a serious message.

"For example, where our web users have literacy challenges or perhaps English is not their first language emoji have become a universal symbol for conveying a feeling or an idea and can help navigating to relevant website pages.

"Also, in a mobile environment or small screen, it helps to be able to add an emoji rather than type a long address."