ACCESSING the internet today is not a luxury but a total necessity - that was the view of cabinet MP Jeremy Hunt on a visit to Stroud to back calls for super-fast broadband in the Five Valleys.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport spoke alongside Stroud MP Neil Carmichael and a host of councillors, residents and business owners at the Imperial Hotel in Stroud on Thursday evening.

The purpose of the gathering was to hasten the roll out of fibre-optic broadband across Gloucestershire by clearly demonstrating the need for it.

Key to this will be a countywide household and business internet-use survey due to be carried out by Gloucestershire First and the Gloucestershire Rural Community Council from October.

The results will be fed into the Borders Broadband Project - an initiative set up by Gloucestershire First to deliver superfast connectivity based on its proven need.

Mr Hunt has already set aside £8 million for parts Gloucestershire as one of four pilot areas across the UK to receive upgraded coverage.

His ambitious plan is to ensure Britain benefits from the most widespread quality broadband in Europe by 2015.

"The opportunity the internet presents is extraordinary for people living in villages," he said.

"For some older people, online shopping is an absolute life-line and it increases their independence and options."

Stroud-based IT consultant Roger Cuddington said as more people logged on in certain areas, broadband speeds were currently restricted to that of early dial-up connections.

Painswick Parish Council chairman Terry Parker said greater connectivity would enhance prosperity in villages and Stroud district councillor Joe Forbes (Con, Painswick) said limited access excluded communities from the 21st Century.

Max Comfort, director of Stroud Common Wealth, said the greatest need for a roll out would be to enable video conferencing within businesses.

This was echoed by Stonehouse-based Green Gourmet Ltd founder Adam Starkey, who added that international companies would be put off branching into the county by poor broadband speeds.

* Gloucestershire First's internet-use survey will be available to download and complete from its website www.glosfirst.com/broadband from October 1.

Two separate surveys will be accessible Ð one for domestic users and one for businesses.