BEIJING, Sept 17, 2007 (AFP) - A man in southern China collapsed and died after a three-day marathon online session at a cybercafe, state media reported on Monday.

The web-user, estimated to be 30 years old, suddenly collapsed in front of his computer terminal in Guangdong province, and emergency personnel were unable to revive him, the Beijing News reported.

"According to preliminary findings, the length of time this man spent online might have triggered heart problems," the paper quoted a local hospital emergency medic in the city of Zhongshan as saying.

The paper did not provide the man's name or the online activities he was engaged in.

Worried about growing Internet addiction, China's government has taken steps to combat the problem, including forcing online gaming sites to dock the points of gamers who stay online too long.