THE cross-Channel battleground has shifted from the sea to the airwaves as large operators denounced television claims that they were "pirates" using dirty tricks against a small competitor.

The BBC2 documentary Trouble at the Top featured the story of SpeedFerries, the new fast craft operator between Dover and Boulogne.

In it, Curt Stavis, the company founder, accused rivals of waging a campaign against him, claiming berths had been blocked, staff poached, computers infected with a virus, and rivals observing him from the cliffs.

Television cameras showed Stavis putting a sign "Fight the Pirates" on the side of his SpeedOne craft, which was beset by technical problems.

Although he did not name any particular offender, there were shots of Norfolkline's Dawn Merchant in the harbour, and various shots of SeaFrance and P&O Ferries craft coming and going.

Norfolkline boss Wayne Bullen declined to comment. But others were more forthcoming.

Robin Wilkins, managing director of SeaFrance, was angry. He claimed the programme lacked balance and his company would be making a formal complaint to the BBC.

He said: "There were all sorts of scurrilous implications by the way the camerawork was done and by the half-accusations, none of which were substantiated, or have ever been substantiated, certainly as far as SeaFrance is concerned.

"We all suffer from berthing problems and they are controlled by Dover Harbour Board, not by competitors. We've all, I suspect in any walk of life, had a computer virus and Eurotunnel has been watching people from the cliffs for ages.

"I just felt the implication of dirty tricks was entirely unfounded. It's an easy accusation to make but certainly as far as my company is concerned, there is no truth in it whatsoever."

But he admitted SpeedFerries, which intends adding a second craft this year, was a real competitor and he did not take the threat lightly.

"There's hot competition down here when you think that the Tunnel has half the market and there are five other operators for the other half of the market. That's pretty tough.

"But I'm a competitive person and I quite enjoy that. It's great for the consumer. We don't mind the competition as long as it's fair."

Hoverspeed chief executive Geoffrey Ede was incensed by Mr Stavis' claims that he had undercut fares offered by every other cross-Channel operator by hundreds of pounds.

Mr Ede said: "Hoverspeed has long championed the need for ferry companies to offer clear and transparent pricing for all customers using their services.

"We broke the mould on cross-Channel ferry pricing as far back as 2003 when we introduced concepts like advance booking fares and single saver fares."

Brian Rees, spokesman for P&O Ferries, said Mr Stavis had never made any specific allegations against his company.

"No one has ever put it to us that we have ever done anything illegal, immoral, anti-competitive in respect of SpeedFerries," he said.

Mr Stavis said. "The programme has affected people emotionally in a way where they very much want to express support.

"I am stopped everywhere I go by very enthusiastic people who recognise me from the show, our phones have been overloaded and we have received several thousand supportive emails.

"We absolutely refuse to play by underhand rules and, with our friends and backers, are looking for much more than just a moral victory."