COMPUTER users will soon be able to access the internet from anywhere in a town.

Darlington will be the first place in the UK to have wireless network coverage across the whole town.

Sunderland, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and their surrounding areas will all be on to the network within six months.

The WiMax technology allows users to access broadband internet and telephone for a monthly fee. It means laptops and cordless phones can be used in streets as well as in the home.

The Quaker Broadband network, which will cover 20km from an antenna at Darlington Football Club, has been launched by new club sponsor Balfour Webnet, which this week announced a £300,000 three-year stadium sponsorship deal.

The club will earn 30 per cent of each subscription fee. Residents aged over 60, schools and hospitals would receive discounted or free access.

Football Club chief executive Jon Sotnick said the technology would provide a huge financial boost to the club, while providing a valuable service to the people of Darlington and the Tees Valley.

He said: "We want to be a community club; a family club providing facilities for the public.

"This fits with (chairman) George Haughton's vision for this club and positions us at the heart of the community."

The Football Association will visit the club once the network is fully operational later this month, with a view to copying Darlington's lead at clubs nationwide.

Ken Little, the chief executive of Balfour Webnet said the club's ambition was a major factor in the company's decision to launch the service in Darlington.

He said: "It is like signing a new player. The player needs to be comfortable with his surroundings, and the club has to feel right."

He said the network complied with the highest Government health and safety regulations and has been proven to pose no risk to public health.

The pilot scheme will take place this month and next, with the full service likely to be extended immediately afterwards.