Researchers from Glasgow University are developing a Bluetooth application to let sports fans share experiences in real-time.

The team led by Dr Matthew Chalmers are developing a series of computer programs that make ad-hoc networking possible for fans to interact with each other at a large stadium event.

The programs will enable a phone to connect with up to seven other users at the same time, without using mobile phone masts.

Ad-hoc networking has never been used before for direct phone-to-phone communication in real-world settings.

The programs are the first to allow the recent advances in ad-hoc networking to be applied to phone-based applications.

In a crowded stadium with a lot of interference it can currently be difficult to get a mobile phone signal and even if a signal is obtained, text messages can take a long time to be delivered.

Mr Chalmers said in a statement: "Chat and banter need to be immediate.

"If a disputed goal is scored or a yellow card awarded, you want to hear what others have to say about it straight away, from their vantage point in the stadium. Direct mobile-to-mobile communication can make this possible."

"Our aim is to let fans share information in real time and build up banks of images and conversation clips that can provide a unique memento of the day."

He added: "It's really about extending a social networking philosophy to sports stadia and giving spectators a richer experience by making them feel better connected with each other."

Mobile-to-mobile communications could eventually play an important role in assisting emergency health care by allowing people at an accident scene to communicate even in areas remote from a mobile phone mast.