The former Mayor of Vienna, Helmut Zilk, has rejected allegations that he spied for the Czechoslovak communist secret police during the nineteen-sixties and seventies.

The allegations surfaced after it was announced that the Czech President, Vaclav Havel, had postponed plans to award Mr Zilk a prestigious Czech award, the Order of the White Lion.

In an interview with Czech Television, Mr Zilk said the accusations were completely unfounded.

Mr Zilk lost part of a hand in a letter-bombing five years ago when he was mayor of Vienna.