The Co-op is now part of a cyberspace mission to make the co-operative movement a collective global entity.

The Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-op is one of three-quarters of a million co-operative societies around the world, ranging from Indian dairy farmers to Spanish engineers, which may now use the .coop Internet suffix.

At a touch of a button at the local society's headquarters in Botley Road, Oxford, vice-president Steve Allsopp launched the society's new .coop site.

Mr Allsopp said: "This is a momentous success for the co-operative movement. A family of people with common aims is the principle at the heart of our co-operative aims.

"The new .coop Internet domain brings together and identifies co-operatives around the world under a single banner."

The Oxford, Swindon and Gloucester Co-op's own website links to an online directory, which lists 35 local organisations that are run on a co-operative basis, ranging from creches to credit unions, architects to translators, caterers to community shops.

To view the directory visit www.osg.coop/directory