CWD readers have been able to submit photos and tips straight to the news desk on their mobile phone via the CWD’s free iPhone app.

Since it was launched in December, 2012, almost 380,000 news and sport stories have been read on the app.

The app has been downloaded 4570 times with an amazing 1,629,847 page views over the last year.

The recent Central Mullion fire is a great example of how CWD readers have embraced the technology to share their photos.

“When they are close to a dramatic situation the app enables them to share information and photos,” CWD managing editor Tony Rhead said.

“That’s where the app on a pocket sized device comes into its own as consumers of news also become contributors.”

It’s not just breaking news stories that have captured the imagination of our readers with many people taking up the opportunity to take part in competitions via the app.

Our most popular competition was when we asked readers to submit a photo of their pet to go in the draw to win a family pass to the zoo.

While many people shared photos of their dogs and cats, we also got photos of pigs, a ferret, fish and an alpaca.

Photos from Father’s Day celebrations, their child’s first day of school and Christmas have also been submitted via the app.

When Masterchef winner Kate Bracks put her hand up to judge a competition to win Curtis Stone’s cookbook What’s for Dinner? the entries flooded in.

Mr Rhead said the impact of the app has been huge and he expects its popularity to continue to grow.

“I think the biggest thing is in the way the app enables to people to keep up to date when they are away from a computer,” he said.

To download the free iPhone app head to the App Store and search for Central Western Daily.