Almost half of people living in the countryside have increased the amount they shop online because of choice, convenience and the decline of the traditional village shop.

The Telegraph reports that a limited choice of goods, distance to shops and improvements in online delivery services have encouraged 42 per cent, or 4.4 million people in Britain, to rely more heavily on shopping over the internet, according to new figures from PayPal.

One in six people asked said their nearest shops don't sell items they need while one in ten said their nearest shops are too far away.

The news raises concerns about the Government's failure to ensure rural areas have access to high speed broadband connections.

Carl Scheible, managing director of PayPal UK, said: "The internet has brought the high street to the countryside, and as many rural communities struggle without any shops at all, online shopping will play an increasingly bigger role as a lifeline for many communities".