BT has warned that the cost of attempting to tackle internet piracy could lead to an increase in the price of broadband services.

The broadband provider's consumer division head, John Petter, has claimed in an interview with the Daily Mirror that government proposals for such companies to police the web could cost around £1 million a day.

It is estimated that this could mean every broadband bill would rise by £24 a year.

Discussing the issue, Mr Petter told the newspaper that the music industry has the power to tackle the issue but "they don't want to take the hit to their public image".

He added: "It would cost millions and probably have very little impact as they [filesharers] would devise new ways to disguise what they're doing."

Muse frontman Matt Bellamy recently waded into the debate on illegal filesharing, describing broadband as "the new broadcaster".