HORSE-DRAWN carriage operators in York could be forced to put "nappies" on their animals in a bid to clean up the city's streets.

City of York Council is investigating ways to reduce the amount of horse dung on the streets, which costs the council £5,746 per year to remove.

Four options are to be put before the council's licensing committee next week - including the preferred option of using special dung catchers.

The devices, which are often referred to as "nappies", are bags designed to catch the dung and are either fixed to the harness or the shafts of the carriage.

They are already used in other cities across the UK and Europe.

Coun Andrew Waller, Liberal Democrat executive member for environment and sustainability, welcomed the move.

He said: "As we come to the summer months again we do not want to go through another hot season with this problem blighting the city centre streets.

"It is costing the council nearly £6,000 to deal with the problem, money that could be utilised in other street cleansing activities."

A report to councillors states there are four licensed operators in York, and horse-drawn carriages have been operating in the city for 30 years.

The licensing committee will next Friday also consider the other options - which are doing nothing, seeking a contribution towards the increased costs of street cleaning, or even revoking the operators' licences.

Updated: 10:47 Friday, June 20, 2003