Volunteers are being offered an early chance to ride on the new Edinburgh trams by posing as rugby fans or concert-goers.

The operator has launched an appeal for 1000 people to help test their readiness to cope with large crowds arriving at and leaving the tram stop next to Murrayfield Stadium.

Guinea pigs involved in the project, codenamed Exercise Salvador, will take part in a number of "realistic exercises to test operational and safety procedures", to do with events such as future Six Nations rugby fixtures and rock and pop gigs, according to the trams company.

Councillor Lesley Hinds, Transport Convener, said: "As well as driver training and system testing, this vital pre-launch period gives us an opportunity to test out various scenarios in a controlled manner so that we are as prepared as possible before we embark on tram passenger services in May."

People who are interested in taking part in the exercise on Thursday, March 13 should send their details to document.dontrol@edinburghtrams.com by Monday, March 10.