Nappy enforcement for Viennese horses

Travellers taking a spin in the traditional Viennese 'fiaker' (horse and carriage) will now only be doing so with horses who sport nappies.

The crackdown comes after Vienna's residents got fed up with being confronted with piles of horse dung on the city's cobbled byways.

City councillors have introduced a raft of measures controlling the equestrian mode of transport so beloved by visitors to the city.

Besides compulsory nappies for their steeds, horsemen must also use a novel form of speedometer. The move is an attempt to curb the enthusiasm of those who like to give their customers a few thrills and spills, besides the leisurely wander past baroque churches.

Likewise each fiaker will have to display a numberplate, a further factor intended to keep cowboys at bay.

Operators who fail to obey the stringent new rules could face hefty fines of up to 3000.

The fiaker has been a staple of the Viennese experience for generations now. Even James Bond took his ladyfriend for a ride in one in The Living Daylights. Regrettably, OO7 was unavailable for comment on the new 'nag nappy'. He was said to be shaken, not stirred by the news.