Facebook addict gives it up for Lent

A self-confessed Facebook addict is going cold-turkey by giving-up the networking site for Lent. Ellie Harrison, 23, - who sometimes logs onto the site before she's even had breakfast - is counting down the days until Easter when she will be able to go online again and find out what her friends have been up to over the past 40 days. The Catholic University College student from Brislington, Bristol, hopes people will sponsor her "Facebook Fast" so she can give the money to overseas aid agency CAFOD. "I'm definitely addicted to Facebook. It takes over your life, especially if you're like me and you're a student," Ellie said. "I've decided to give it up because it was taking up too much of my time." Ellie, who, ironically, advertised her decision to give up Facebook by writing about it on the site, said she will miss the funny messages people post online the most. "I have Facebook set up as a bookmark and it's really hard not to press the button and login, which takes about 3 seconds!" Ellie added. "I'm worried I'll do it by accident!" The MA Russian studies student who went to St Bernadette Secondary School, Bristol, continued: "Self-discipline is really good for you. It occurred to me that if lent is about fasting, praying and alms-giving this would kill three birds with one stone. "I know that if I give up time on Facebook I will have more time for prayer. "Helping the world's poor is also very important - that's why I have chosen to support CAFOD. "The beauty of Facebook is that people can see if you've done anything on it! My flatmates will think I am pretty lame if I don't manage it!" To sponsor Ellie go to www.justgiving.com/ellieharrison