It is something that wives and girlfriends have long suspected to be true.

Men are far more likely to tell lies than women, researchers have revealed.

Their study found that the average male tells 1,092 lies every year - roughly three a day.

By contrast, the average woman will lie 728 times a year - around twice a day.

And while men said their lies were most likely to relate to their drinking habits, the most popular female fib - 'Nothing's wrong, I'm fine' - hides their true feelings.

Men are also less likely to feel guilty about lying.

While 82 per cent of females questioned said telling a lie ate away at their conscience, only 70 per cent of men confessed to pangs of guilt.

Overall, 75 per cent of those polled agreed it was 'OK' to fib to save someone's feelings. 'Lying may seem to be an unavoidable part of human nature but it's an important part of social interaction,' said Katie Maggs, associate medical curator at the Science Museum, which commissioned the study.

'The jury is still out as to whether human quirks like lying are the result of genes, evolution or upbringing.'

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