The .uk.co domain was wiped off the face of the Internet this morning with no notice, leaving more than 8,000 livid individuals and businesses - including Amazon and Priceline - with no Web presence or email.

The idea of the .uk.co names is either to act as an alternative to .co.uk if the domain has already gone or to capture the large number of Internet users that type the address in the wrong way around. With over 25 domain sellers signed up with Net Registrar and 8,000 domains sold, it was doing good business. The domains cost £15 for two years.

Read more: The Register.