Spain's high-class escorts are refusing to have sex with the nation's bankers - until they open up credit lines to cash-strapped families and firms.

Madrid's top-end prostitutes say their indefinite strike will continue until bank employees 'fulfill their responsibility to society' and start offering bigger loans for struggling Spaniards, it has been claimed.

Sneaky bankers were trying to circumvent the protest by claiming to be architects or engineers, the sex-workers said.

But this was 'not fooling anyone' because, as one escort revealed: 'It has been many years since these professionals could afford rates that start from €300 per hour.'

The capital's largest luxury prostitute trade association, which is reportedly initiating the strike, said: 'We are the only ones with a real ability to pressure the sector.

'We have been on strike for three days now and we don't think they can withstand much more,' added the woman, known as Ana MG.

It said the move came after one of its members, Lucia, pressured a bank employee client to grant a loan by halting her 'sexual services'.

Mexican website SDPnoticias.com, who was joined by Russia Today in breaking the news which some have claimed is a 'hoax', reported that the bankers became so desperate they called in the government for mediation.

The sex-worker strike comes as Spain is set to be hit by a general strike on Thursday in protest at high unemployment and changes to labour laws that make it cheaper for firms to lay off workers.

Train, bus and air traffic will be severely limited as unions, which represent one in five Spanish workers, agreed to retain minimum transport services.

The government's labour market reform is just the latest in a series of measures Spain has taken in the last two years to try to make its economy more competitive.

At the same time, unemployment has soared to a staggering 23 percent and the economy is heading into its second recession in three years.

(Read by Nelly Min. Nelly Min is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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(Agencies)