Are you sitting comfortably?

This month's hard to swallow comes from Wales, a country whose consonant-rich native language may be as hard to stomach as a recent incident of unfortunate mistranslation.

Cyclists traveling along roads in Glamorgan were left confused by a bilingual road sign telling them they had problems with an inflamed bladder.

The 'cyclists dismount' sign between Penarth and Cardiff was written as 'llid y bledren dymchwelyd' in Welsh - literally 'bladder inflammation upset'.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council said new signs were being made.

It has been speculated that an online translation led to confusion between cyclists and cystisis, and the temporary sign at roadworks is to be replaced.

Welsh-speaking cyclist Matt Lloyd, 27, said: 'When I read the sign I thought someone was having a laugh. I've never even had a bladder disease.'

As welsh language expert Owain Sgiv told local paper the South Wales Echo: 'It certainly does not mean anything like cyclists dismount.'

A spokesman for the Vale of Glamorgan Council's highways department responded staidly to the amusing gaff: 'A mistake has been made and we are investigating. Amended signs are being made and will be put up as soon as possible.'

Suggestions that the sign was a ploy to remind motorists of the potentially ominous consequences of not stopping for regular toilet breaks have proved to be untrue . . .