They were quick off the mark too, reopening their embassy in Kabul before anyone else.

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Finger trouble, he told the twitterati who were quick off the mark with their congratulations.

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The once-infested were also less quick off the mark when the time came to sing.

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And BAT, as it happens, was quick off the mark in denouncing the outcome of the South African meeting.

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Despite this, Skype was quick off the mark in other business matters.

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"I wasn't really nervous I was just not quick off the mark and she took advantage of that, " said Robson, who double-faulted on match point.

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The car was quick off the mark and fun to drive.

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For those quick off the mark, this is already happening.

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Italy's foreign minister, Lamberto Dini, has been quick off the mark in congratulating Mr Qaddafi on returning to the fold, even suggesting that he takes part in a Euro-Med meeting next week.

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The Sawirises have been ambitious and quick off the mark, but other Egyptian entrepreneurs too are expanding overseas, using skills honed by dealing with Egypt's often tangled bureaucracy to venture into risky but promising markets.

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The Muslim community in particular was very quick off the mark in saying this violence has nothing to do with Islam and nothing to do with the 99.9 percent of the three million Muslims in this country who abhor such acts of brutality.

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