TALKING of potential health hazards, how about this. Take a powerful computer or two, each connected to mouse, keyboard, monitor and phone line by a jungle of cables, and place in a pub. How long can it be before hard liquor and hard drive collide?

Rural pubs across North Yorkshire are taking that risk, however. Thanks to a hefty grant, they can install Internet-ready PCs to allow customers to surf while they sup.

This will allow many more people to hitch a lift on the information superhighway. And it also provides an excellent new excuse to go to the pub. In future, if your other half goes off to check his e-mail for the fourteenth time that day, you will know why.

Updated: 10:34 Tuesday, October 16, 2001