ES News email The latest headlines in your inbox twice a day Monday - Friday plus breaking news updates Enter your email address Continue Please enter an email address Email address is invalid Fill out this field Email address is invalid You already have an account. Please log in Register with your social account or click here to log in I would like to receive lunchtime headlines Monday - Friday plus breaking news alerts, by email Update newsletter preferences

A dedicated lane for pedestrians who can't put down their phones has apparently been introduced in a major European city.

The "walking text lane", possibly the product of a PR stunt, has been painted on to footpaths in the Belgian city of Antwerp.

Smartphone company Mlab, who engineered the concept, claim the unusual urban signage is aimed at cutting phone damage caused when distracted pedestrians collide with each other.

It also serves to indicate to non-texting pavement users where it is safer to walk.

An Mlab spokeswoman told Metro: “Everyone textwalks. You probably walk through the streets while texting or sending Whatsapp messages to your friends and don’t really pay attention to your surroundings, only to whatever is happening on your screen.”

“This causes collisions with poles or other pedestrians.

"You could, unknowingly, even be endangering your own life while you ‘textwalk’ when you cross the street without looking up.”