Family tree service goes online

There is a growing interest in tracing family trees

Fife history buffs and local people eager to trace their roots can now search Fife Council's archives, before ordering family trees online.

The new internet service gives people an easier way to start examining their past.

People can search the online archives to find historical records before making an appointment to view them.

The council said the new service is available 24-hours-a-day online at www.fifedirect.org.uk/localhistory.

Archivist Andrew Dowsey said: "The catalogue on fifedirect makes it so much easier for people to search the records we hold.

"We've got all sorts of things, from 16th and 17th Century Burgh Court minutes detailing local witchcraft trials, to recently recorded personal memories from some of our older Fifers."