Prostitutes in the picturesque Swiss lakeside town of Lugano are adding defibrillation to their list of services following the death of several elderly punters whose hearts just couldn't take the pace.

According to the Corriere della Sera, there are currently 38 brothels and sex clubs in the Lugano area, and more are planned to accommodate the rising tide of customers who pop over the border from Italy.

For some, though, this proves to be a day trip too far. The most recent case was a pensioner who suffered a heart attack while enjoying Lugano's delights with the aid of "pharmaceutical assistance".

Accordingly, brothel owners plan to arm their girls with defibrillators, after suitable training. ®

Bootnote

The Corriere della Sera says the local red light trade is worth around €70m a year. Eighty per cent of the punters are Italian, largely serviced by girls from South America and, increasingly, Eastern Europe.