'It holds keys to my life'

Self-confessed mobile phone addict Kay Simon, 25, has had one since she was 13 and claims she can't leave the house without it.

Its rings mark the start of her day, and she suffers from anxiety if she forgets to carry it.

"The phone is my alarm clock, so I sleep with it next to the bed," she said.

"It's used for everything now - I even cancelled my home phone because I wasn't using it.

"On the odd occasion I've left my phone at home, it's been a real problem, and I feel very anxious - I make my boyfriend take the phone to work and screen my calls for me.

"After all, who knows what I could miss? I suppose I am addicted but my phone is everything - my clock, diary and contacts book, so it really does have all of my life in it. God forbid I should ever lose it."