While other dot.com companies have been in disarray and decline, Sussex web site developers Fresh Egg has enjoyed a meteoric rise.

Turnover at the firm increased 300 per cent in the last six months and staff numbers increased to 17.

Now it has been named small business of the year by the Littlehampton Business Partnership.

The company was founded by Adam Stafford, his sister Philippa and their friend Lee Colbran.

In the early days, it was run from Mr Colbran's bedroom but the three soon needed to find offices as the business took off.

Fresh Egg, now based in Goring Road, Worthing, has doubled in size over each of the last two years and led the way in enabling a wide range of clients to reap the benefits of e-commerce.

Mr Stafford said: "We have all worked hard to make this a success and now we have more than 360 customers.

"Our skills with search engines gets our clients maximum exposure on the web.

"We can count many blue chip firms, including American Express, among our customers and in the public sector we do work for the police."

Recent work included the design and implementation of a site, www.nickers.co.uk, for lingerie company Nickers, led by Caroline Liddon, former purchasing manager for the House of Fraser.

Ms Liddon has created a lot of interest in the dot.com sector through a television profile.

Another project due to go live shortly is www.iwantitcheaper.com, a best buy site expected to hit the internet consumer market in a big way.

Fresh Egg also worked with designers from Saatchi on the national police recruitment web site, www.policecouldyou.com, taking responsibility for its search engine marketing.

It developed the online Arun Business Directory at www.arunbusinessdirectory.co.uk, a project which contributed to the business of the year award.

Mr Stafford said he was delighted to be reversing the national trend in e-commerce, He said: "Our commitment to providing easy-tounderstand systems and an outstanding service has allowed us to enjoy an accelerated growth.

"We allow businesses to harness the potential of the internet by providing costeffective ways of enhancing new or existing marketing projects.

"We don't employ sales people.

"Our approach is consultancy-based and our staff offer advice based on years of experience, which ranges from technical and design knowledge through to increasing conversion rates and getting the best return on investment.

"We are delighted the Silicon Beach effect is reaching Worthing and Arun."