Rising numbers of older people are turning to text and email to communicate with friends and relatives, a new study has found.

More than two thirds of over-65s surveyed said they regularly keep in touch with loved ones via email, while 15% said text messages were their preferred medium for breaking important news.

Just under half of people quizzed said they would send good news via text, although close to a quarter said they would also pass on bad news by text.

Respondents cited the fact that the technology allowed them to plan what they wanted to say as a key factor in their decision to adopt the technology.

Jo Bryant of etiquette expert Debrett's said: 'Advancements in technology over the last 20 years mean how we send and receive news is different across all generations.

'It's not just teenagers who are sharing life changing news by text, those in their 60s have become more at ease with this form of communication, and prefer in some situations to break big news in one simple, short message.

'In many cases, this is because they can keep in close contact with those who have grown up with texting as the norm.'

The research, from T-Mobile also showed 4% of the over 65s surveyed said they regularly sent big news through social networking site Facebook.