Internet surfers have until the end of the week to nominate their favourite websites for this year's Brighton and Hove Web Awards.

The annual ceremony, sponsored by The Argus, is one of the highlights of the month-long Brighton Digital Festival, which takes place in November.

Websites must relate to Brighton in some way, either in terms of their content or because the organisation behind them is based in the city.

Categories include best business site, best charity site, best community site, best personal site, best local arts site and best personal blog. The internet has come a long way since the awards began seven years ago.

Mark Walker, project manager at Sussex Community Internet Project, which has run the awards since 2001, said: "The obvious difference is that now a lot of small businesses are trading online to reach new clients or service existing ones.

"Seven years ago it was quite uncommon for smaller companies to have a website at all, let alone a facility for people to buy goods online but that's changing.

"Another difference is the type of websites people are visiting.

"They are far more interactive now. Businesses are using them as a starting point to develop new relationships with customers and using sophisticated tools to do that."

Mr Walker said about 50 companies had entered the web awards - some 20 more than last year - and the range of entrants was greater than ever.

A shortlist will be drawn up before November 1. Winners in each category will then be announced at an awards ceremony at the Sallis Benney Theatre, Grand Parade, Brighton, on November 15. Nomination forms can be found at www.

brightonwebawards.co.uk.

Nigel's Eco Store, Kerb, the Ocean Rooms, Lounge Penguin, My Brighton and Hove, Brighton Waves and Hotel du Vin were among last year's winners.

Brighton and Hove is one of Britain's leading centres for digital media and has a small army of web designers, animators, film makers and games developers.

Almost 1,500 companies fall into the "creative" category.

About half of those are directly involved in digital media.

Many are recognised as leaders in their field but because most work for very small companies or operate as sole traders, their achievements can often go unnoticed.

Fiona Martin, director of Martin Searle solicitors who are sponsoring the best business site category, said: "The web is a powerful medium for businesses to attract a specific or very broad target market and also for communicating with the community in general.

Our firm now has an international client base thanks to our success on the web. These awards are a great way to celebrate the local talent behind some of the best websites in Brighton and Hove. We would encourage everyone to nominate their favourite sites before the deadline."

The Brighton Digital Festival, the largest of its kind in Britain, showcases the talents of people working in the media, arts and technology.

It is run by digital media agency Wired Sussex, started in 2004 to raise the profile of the county's burgeoning new media industry.