drawing by L.Gedö from 'Sittengeschichte des Weltkrieges'

A brothel in Austria has become a temporary homeless shelter.

Peter Laskaris, owner of Vienna's Red Rooms Laufhaus, is offering up a free bed, a hot shower and a meal to ten people every night. However, he insisted that "other services are not included".

"We are not really doing much business in the current cold weather anyway and it is the school holidays - a lot of people are off away with their families," he said.

"Lots of our rooms are empty and it seemed a shame not to use them for a good cause. In these cold temperatures nobody should be left out on the streets."

Laskaris added that he is currently in talks with other brothels to d the same as temperatures in the city reach as low as -20 degrees.

"The homeless shelters are completely full. People need a warm place to stay," he said. "None of my girls are complaining - they will have a lot of sympathy for the homeless.

"We have security staff here anyway but it's been no problem - everyone who has taken up the offer has been very grateful to have a warm roof over their heads."

Source: Digital Spy