Those wags at Virgin Mobile claim they are about to launch a new phone that has an in-built breathalyser.

Of course, it hasn't been designed for anything quite so public-spirited as to prevent people on the pop from drinking and driving. No, no, instead, it's to stop people from sending embarrassing texts or making nuisance phone calls in the middle of the night.

Quipped Virgin Mobile chief exec, Tom Alexander, in a statement: "If you like a drink and are prone to sending inappropriate or regrettable texts at the same time, then this is the phone for you. We believe that the Alco-Phone is destined to save the relationships of millions of people."

And it may well do, but if it did actually introduce such a phone just think of all that revenue Virgin will lose as its new phone blocks all those alcohol-induced calls and texts. ®