Online social networking and a 15-year friendship brought a transatlantic front-page scoop for a Lancashire reporter.

Andrew Greaves, from the Preston and Leyland Citizen, was surfing the web late at night oblivious to the breaking story of Stephen Kazmierczak shooting dead five students at Northern Illinois University, near Chicago.

But then a message popped into his Facebook inbox from his old school pal Andrew Brennand to say that he was OK and no one should worry.

Andrew switched on News 24 to be confronted by the terrible Valentine’s Day scenes from the American university, where his friend is a student, broadcaster and part-time teacher.

Andrew told holdthefrontpage: “I got this message from Andrew and that was the first I heard about the shooting.

“On Friday morning I spoke to his dad Allan as I know which car garage he works at.

“Later, his mum gave me his American mobile number. I sent him a text saying ‘Give me a ring’ and I spoke to him about 4.15pm Friday afternoon, just in time for the Lancashire Telegraph’s (sister paper) deadline.

“He had not slept since it happened.”

Mr Brennand, originally from Burnley, revealed how he barricaded himself into an office with other students as Kazmierczak went on the killing spree before turning the gun on himself.

Tragically, one of the five victims was also a student of his.

The whole story showed Andrew the value of local contacts.

He added: “The fact that I’ve known him for the past 15 years kind of helped.

“His parents were glad it was me who rang. They had the Daily Mirror turn up on their doorstep Friday night.

“I promised them I would not pass on their information so they must have got it from electoral roll or something.

“But they made it clear they didn’t want to speak to anyone else.

“We’re very pleased with it.”