Amazon's UK website appears to have been shut down, following an error that put Hewlett Packard iPaq handhelds on sale at the bargain price of just £7.

vnunet.com was alerted to the mistake just after midday today by readers who had rushed to snap up the bargain PDAs, which normally retail for around £300.

Amazon.co.uk was advertising the iPaq H1910 at £7.32, which came to £10.55 including postage and packaging.

Several bargain hunters who contacted vnunet.com said that they had received confirmation for orders of the devices at the greatly reduced price, but it remains to be seen whether Amazon will be forced to honour the sales.

Although the legal situation is unclear, Amazon may contest claims on the grounds that it was an obvious and genuine error, corrected before money was taken from customer accounts.

"What a bargain, but will Amazon go bust over this?" said one lucky and surprised customer. No-one at Amazon was available for comment at time of press.