The driver of a horse and carriage has had his licence suspended after they were caught using a mobile phone at the reigns.
A Blackpool council enforcement officer had caught the driver of the Cinderella horse drawn carriage looking at their phone while carrying passengers.
The driver, who was not named, claimed to have been checking the time for the change over of horses according to the BBC Local Democracy Reporting service.
But they had their licence suspended for four weeks and were slapped with a warning that the licence could be completely revoked in the event of any future similar incidents.
The punishment was handed out at a hearing held behind closed doors by Blackpool Council public protection sub-committee, which heard the driver was also accused of switching lanes suddenly and not having proper lights on.
Members of the sub-committee said they were concerned passengers were being carried at the time of all three offences and the driver's actions had "potentially caused public safety concerns".
Solicitor Allan Cobain, who represented the driver at the hearing, said his client admitted having their mobile phone in their hand to look at the screen.
They blamed a lack of familiarity with the vehicle for not having the side lights on, and said the failure to pull into the correct lane quickly enough had not caused other vehicles to brake sharply as claimed.
The offence happened in October last year but details only emerged in the minutes of the council's public protection sub-committee.
