Bond on a mission to Austria

Austria will be the setting for a man on a mission this year, after producers confirmed the country would play to host to parts of the next James Bond film.

The as-yet-untitled picture, which will be the sequel to Casino Royale and be released in November, will once again star Daniel Craig and will see some sequences shot in Bregenz in the west of the country.

Swiss production company Unicorn Media said it was looking for thousands of extras for the film as part of an opening scene set on a floating theatre and began casting last Friday.

Queues began outside the studio as the team searched for people of the right height, size and age to make up the cast.

After the well-received first film for Craig in the 007 franchise, hopes are high that the next film will repeat the success - and for Austria it will be a chance to showcase some of its stunning natural beauty.

Bregenz lies in the western-most part of Austria next to the shores of Lake Constance, one of the largest freshwater lakes in Europe. The lake also borders Germany and Switzerland.