RURAL businesses could be left behind in the race to embrace new technology, campaigners have warned.

The Country Landowners Association, which represents 50,000 rural businesses in England and Wales, spoke out following BT's introduction of high-speed ADSL lines to offer fast-track access to the internet.

The new service is only available to people living within two miles of a telephone exchange and puts rural dwellers at a disadvantage, according the CLA.

"It's yet another example of an organisation treating people as second class citizens and it is unacceptable," said a CLA spokesman.

The CLA suggests changes should be made to the way universal telecommunication services are provided, to give remote rural areas an equal chance to plug into the information superhighway.

"There is a real danger that rural areas will be disadvantaged in the information revolution by the lack of high-speed data links," said CLA rural practice surveyor Oliver Harwood.

He said that earlier high-speed telecommunication systems using ISDN lines also had limited availability in remote rural areas - recognised by the former Rural Development Commission as a potential constraint on the growth of small rural firms.

Now the CLA, which recognises the costs involved in providing such connections, proposes a new UK universal fund using European money.

"The CLA has already called for funding of information and communication technologies (ICT) to be made available through the rural development regulation of the Common Agricultural Policy and through the EU Structural Funds," Mr Harwood added.

The CLA says such a scheme would require major changes to the existing EU criteria.

But they believe there is a genuine need for the regulator, Government and EU to look at the competitive disadvantage suffered by rural businesses where high speed services are not available unless at exorbitant cost.

Phil Rogers runs Lightwood Cheese from the family farm in Cotheridge - which is within two miles of a BT exchange.

"We are lucky here, but a lot of rural firms in Worcestershire won't have that luxury," he said today.

"Being left behind on something like this isn't going to help rural businesses who need all the assistance they can get."

Crowle-based Bob Brierley, who runs a houseplant business, uses the internet to make contact with suppliers and receive the latest market information.

"Yet again, they're creating a two-tier system," he said.