Britons were the biggest online spenders in Europe last year.

That's according to price comparison site Kelkoo.

UK shoppers spent £38 billion online last year, which is 30 per cent of total European internet sales.

The Centre for Retail Research, which carried out the report, predicts the UK online market will expand by 12.4 per cent in 2010, taking it to over £42 billion in value.

However it also expects the web market to grow by 19.6 per cent across the continent.

That would take the total value of sales up to £152.8 billion.