A local estate agent has become the first in the world to sign up to an app used to help rescue people from remote locations.

But Walton and Hipkiss, who have branches in Stourbridge, Hagley and Kidderminster, believe the What3Words app has far more uses and that’s why they decided to be world leaders.

Owner Andrew Hipkiss knows the app very well from his work as a member of the Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA).

It works on the basis of having mapped the earth into 3m x 3m squares. It therefore does not matter how remote a location, the app can find you wherever you are and, if you need help, your exact location is known.

It works for Andrew, whether he is on a rescue boat in the Severn or a 4x4 in the Clent Hills.

It’s been heavily marketed for motorists who get stranded but cannot identify precisely where they are.

Andrew says he has been interested in how the app could work for estate agents for some time.

Now he has linked up the firm’s software with the app to take advantage of those benefits.

“We know how unreliable a postcode is, especially in rural areas. They often take you to a field.

“This app can show you the exact location of a front door in a block of flats, where the parking space is, exactly where to put up a for sale board.

“We are the first in the world but this is going to escalate, especially when people download it and see the benefits.”