Logging on for a soul mate

It was once seen as the admission of failure - logging on to an internet dating agency in a desperate attempt to find love.

"I think many people also log on just to see what it is about, maybe not looking for anyone. Online dating is pretty relaxed these days and there is just a fun, feelgood factor about it."

Registration on dating sites is usually free and members simply put a photo and their details on to the site. Only when they want to contact others do they have to pay a fee of around £20 a month to send emails, via the company, to those who have caught their eye.

In recent months, new ways of dating have taken centre stage in the capital as Londoners give up on the weekly trek around pubs and nightclubs to find a partner.

In its place has arrived speed dating - when men and women are introduced for just a few minutes before a bell rings, when they must move on to their next "date" to start the whole process again. At the end of the evening, potential partners can exchange numbers and fix up more private dates.

Although internet dating is gathering pace, it may take a little longer for the "desperate" tag to disappear completely. Most people log on to dating websites on a Sunday - usually after another unsuccessful night out on the town.