Big companies have received a boost over the battle for Internet domain names, or site addresses. Two young men already banned by an English High Court judge from trying to make money by registering Internet Website famous names failed to persuade three appeal judges to lift the block on their business.

The pair, Mr Richard Conway and Mr Julian Nicholson, had argued their plan to set up domain names, which included companies like Marks & Spencer and Virgin, was not "passing off" or trade mark infringement.

But the Court of Appeal in London sided with the previous High Court ruling, which granted an injunction against the business.

Five companies BT, Marks & Spencer, Ladbroke, J. Sainsbury and Virgin were granted the injunctions. The registered domain names included "ladbrokes.com", "marksandspencer.com" and even "spice-girls.net" and "buckinghampalace.org".

The men did not tell the companies or individuals that they were registering the domain names at a cost of £150 sterling, but then wrote to them offering the name for sale or hire. Mr Conway had written to Burger King offering to sell them the name "burgerking.co.uk" for £25,000 sterling plus VAT; otherwise it would be available for sale to any other interested party.