Four months before its official release, hackers claim that the next instalment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy may already be available on the internet.

The Two Towers is said to be circulating on a couple of CDs among the hacking community in Bulgaria, and there have been rumours of another copy existing on a US hacker's website.

But a spokesman for film company AOL Time Warner has issued a statement expressing serious doubt that a real copy is available, as a finished print of the movie has not yet been made.

The company pointed out that no evidence has yet been found of any website containing the file.

But file traders are convinced that they have the real movie, which is set for release in December.

One Bulgarian hacking cell even claimed that it had a waiting list for it.

"It came in on Sunday and we are trying to get more copies made," one of the hackers said.

Pre-release internet leaks have recently included DVD rips of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Spider-man.