3 December 2007: Men R Us?

Women in Salzburg are now able to Christmas-shop without distraction.

A man-crèche has been set up in the town centre, and women can leave their boyfriends and husbands there while they hunt down all those last-minute presents, without a whingeing man getting in the way.

Women surrender their partners at the tent's entrance, free of charge, between 4:00pm to 10:00pm. They are given a ticket which they have to present on their return to collect their partner.

While in the crèche the men can play computer games, read newspapers or magazines such as Playboy, or simply have a drink at the bar.

Last year around 1,500 men found refuge there from the shopaholic tendencies of their 'better half', and its creator now plans to expand. He is planning to set up similar crèches in Vienna, Hamburg and Munich. The crèches might even operate all year round, the entrepreneur suggested.