It's used in mousetraps around the world, but now a different type of mouse is being attracted to cheese.

Cheese lovers are logging on to the internet and ordering cheese from a Skipton firm - simply by clicking their computer's mouse.

The Lawson family has been selling cheese on Skipton Market for the last 20 years. Last May Darren Lawson, 29, who runs one of the family's two market stalls, set up the website www.cheesesdirect.com, selling cheese to customers around the world.

"We started mail order through the market stalls and saw the demand there for it," said Darren.

"We looked at the internet and thought that was the way to sell it around the world. It just went from there really.''

Business was slow at first but once the first order came in from America, trade took off.

"The only advertising we've been doing is through the market stalls and links from other websites,'' said Darren.

"We've had more than 20 countries looking at our site now and we've even had hits from Australia.''

There are more than 160 different Yorkshire cheeses for sale on the website, and while orders come from ex-pats anxious for a taste of Wensleydale, some requests are for more exotic tastes.

"We do promote a lot of Yorkshire produce, but we also get asked if we can supply flavours like Marmite cheeses and whisky cheeses,'' said Darren.

"If I can't find them we've got a company that will try to make them for us.''

Darren's parents Malcolm and Hazel are fully behind their son's enterprise. "They're amazed by it,'' he said. "My dad now has a computer and I'm trying to get him more involved in the computer side of the business.

News of the family's success has spread to other market traders who are now thinking about selling over the internet.

Darren said: "We thought the idea would take off, but we didn't think it would take off this well!''