Sex secrets exposed

We'd all like to imagine ourselves as unquenchable love machines like Johnny Depp in Don Juan - but it turns out Britons are more like damp squib Woody Allen.

A comprehensive new survey of British sex habits by icircle.com reveals that a third of people have sex less than once a week. Even more damaging for national morale is the revelation that more than half of those surveyed say that sex, when it does finally happen, lasts less than 15 minutes.

However, while the study - which polled 5,000 people across the country - suggests Britons are more sprinters than marathon runners when it comes to the bedroom, there is at least some news to be proud of: we are becoming far more sexually adventurous.

Nearly one in four respondents (23 per cent) claimed to have taken part in a threesome, while almost half (44 per cent) said they would like to indulge in such activities but were too afraid to ask their their partners.

Partners seemed to get in the way when it came to satisfaction as well - according to the survey single women were more likely to orgasm during sex than women in relationships.

The icircle.com survey suggests that 21st century Britain is becoming increasingly comfortable with talking about intimacy - and increasingly adventurous in the ways we do it.

However, there are still some issues too awkward to raise.

Four in 10 of the women said they would like to try more adventurous sexual techniques but admitted they would not have the courage to ask their partners to join in.

The survey was conducted by a women's lifestyle website for today's publication of a pictorial guide to sex toys by Anne Hooper, a leading sex author. Two-thirds of the respondents were women and three-quarters were in relationships with a partner.

Ms Hooper said of the survey's findings: "What this probably means is that people have become much more accepting of their sexuality and now feel able to talk about such things more freely. People are finally beginning to accept the obvious truth - that sex is a normal part of life."

A further question revealed that, when it comes to sex, 45 per cent or respondents prefer "a variety of positions", with only one in 10 favouring the " missionary" position.

More than a quarter of women polled admit that they would like to have sex with another woman if they were given the chance.

Many experts believe that Britain's long working hours culture is to blame for high levels of dissatisfaction about sex. A recent survey by Good Housekeeping magazine showed that half of all women felt that the stress and exhaustion of juggling family and work life meant their sex life had been affected.

Another study, by vitamin company Berocca, found that more than half of working men admitted that - given the chance of an extra hour in bed - they would rather spend it sleeping.