Fears over 'stalker' website

For star spotters, it's the dream website. But the celebrities on the receiving end claim it's an intrusive nightmare.

It has been launched by Gawker.com, a popular U.S. gossip site, and has caused a furore in the showbusiness world.

The modus operandi is simple. New Yorkers who spot a celebrity on the street or in a shop or restaurant can email the location to Gawker. Gawker then publishes the location - complete with waspish accompanying comments from the spotter - as quickly as possible on an online street map.

Critics have called for it to be banned because the time lapse between the initial spot and the appearance on the website can be brief - meaning the celebrity may still be there and a target for stalkers. A-listers gracing the site this week included Chris Martin looking 'confused and slightly scared' on West 21st Street and Colin Farrell wearing a fedora and 'flannel pyjama pants' on West 12th Street.

Other sightings included Kelly Osbourne 'stomping through the lobby of the Empire State Building in full on bitch mode'.

George Clooney was seen 'shooting hoops on E 61st street' while sporting 'a little paunch'. Rachel Weisz was sighted at Bloomingdale's. 'I could see her makeup from yards away,' said the spotter.

Ken Sunshine, whose clients include Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck, said the Gawker site was 'outrageous'.

'It invites weirdos, if not dangerous weirdos, to physically come in contact with anybody they choose to expose on this site,' he said.

But Gawker editor Jessica Coen rejected Mr Sunshine's argument, saying: 'If people are truly intent on doing some sort of sick harm to a certain celebrity that information for finding them is already out there.'

She added: 'It's as immediate as humanly possible but it's not instantaneous. In theory, it can be very quick but celebrities are not trees - they will be moving.'

Each number on the map pinpoints a sighting of a celebrity and is cross-referenced to a description on the web page.