The most popular websites of the last 12 months with internet users have been announced. They were determined by a public vote as part of online research company Metrixlab's search for the website of the year.

While a panel of four judges decided which site for each category would be crowned 'Website of the Year 2006', the 'Most Popular Website 2006' award was decided by the public.

People were able to vote for their favourite from the same shortlist of nominees in each category that panel had to judge from. The site that polled the most votes in each category was awarded the 'Most Popular Website 2006' gong. On a number of occasions the public voted for a site that the did not win the 'Website of the Year 2006' award.

And the winners are