Brighton and Hove is booming as one of the top ten cyber areas of Britain.

More than 30 per cent of local households and businesses on the internet.

Only the West End of London, Cambridge, Reading, parts of Scotland, Bristol and Chester have a greater percentage online. Neither East nor West Sussex feature in the top ten.

Ten per cent of users in Brighton are frequent purchasers over the internet, ordering their shopping, stationery and other services, such as theatre and travel tickets.

The survey was carried out by marketing company CACI which surveyed 300 internet retailers. It found 31.1 per cent of businesses and households were online in Brighton and Hove.

The company has coined a number of new phrases for internet users.

There are Virtual Virgins who drive the internet companies crazy by spending a short time on sites and then log off because they are worried about security.

They account for 6.2 per cent of users in the South East.

Chatters and Gamers, 2.3 per cent, spend a lot of time on the net but never buy anything.

Dot.com Dabblers, 14.5 per cent, are those who occasionally buy online, but do most of their shopping in the High Street.

Surfing Suits, 6.2 per cent, spend less time on- line but know what they want.