The world wide web is working wonders for Lingualearn, with the online language company's web site starting to clock up more than 20,000 hits a week.

The company describes itself as a one-stop shop for language and culture products and services.

The number of visitors to its site has increased gradually since January with Southwick-based Lingualearn benefiting from increased publicity and the European Union's decision to make 2001 the European Year of Languages (EYL).

Managing director Mike Freeman said: "More and more people are interested in learning languages.

"As we get ever closer to Europe, people are switching on to the idea of learning about other cultures and communicating with people from other countries."

The South East was a good place to learn languages, Mr Freeman said: "In the summer Brighton is flooded with tourists and that rubs off on people. The region's proximity to mainland Europe makes people much more aware of other countries."

The company is running a competition for schools in conjunction with the Education Business Partnership.

Pupils from 19 schools have entered, writing a short essay using the news and music resources on the Lingualearn site.

The closing date for the competition, launched in September, has been extended until the end of January.

Mr Freeman is hoping it will promote an appreciation of the importance of foreign language learning.

The company provides online resources for language learners and teachers, translations, interpreting, business culture training and language screening for businesses.

The site also sells language training materials around the world. A management consultant ordered a language course from his laptop in the middle of the Sahara desert, a field engineer in India has ordered French CDs and has even received an order from a Mexican monk.

www.lingualearn.co.uk