MODERN-day courtship moved from the parlour to the pub a long time ago - now it has moved from the small ads into cyberspace.

As communication speeds up all over the world more than two million people are ditching age-old dating habits and surfing the web to find the partner of their dreams.

Internet relationships have had something of a bad press as a way of encouraging infidelity and bringing together "desperate" people on opposite sides of the world.

But increasingly the net is being used by singletons as another way of finding a meaningful relationship.

Social psychologist Dr Jeff Gavin has researched online relationships in the UK.

"These relationships may be more successful," Dr Gavin said. "Because the first conversation is anonymous, people feel able to be more open and honest about emotions."

A site you could try is http://www.twoscompany.co.uk/ which you can get through via the thisislancashire web site.

But also be careful and check out the safety tips on internet dating at the Suzy Lamplugh Trust website - a national trust for personal safety - at www.suzylamplugh.org.

Dating in the modern world is a risky game however you do it, but looking in cyberspace might just give another lonely heart another chance.