AOL UK has forbidden its employees from wearing watches or looking at the time.

Clocks have been covered and wristwatches removed as part of stunt by the Internet company.

The event is supposed to see whether the pressure of time is responsible for stress in the workplace and help employees "experience the value of time without limits".

AOL UK has even drafted in a psychotherapist to monitor the response of staff working in a timeless environment.

However, in truth it's nothing short of a gimmick to promote AOL UK's "Stop the Clock" campaign for unmetered Net access, one which we thought had come to an end now that the ISP is offering unmetered access on its own terms.

Said an AOL UK spokeswoman: "Our members told us how stressful it is watching the clock online.

"We've just turned that on its head," she said.

Mmmmmm. ®