They see nothing wrong with paying the pretty girl in accounts a compliment or praising the hunky new boss' dress sense ... as long as they keep their hands to themselves.

Married women are the most likely to perfect the art of a bit of cheeky banter with members of the opposite sex - although when men take the plunge they are likely to go further by sending a saucy email or even kissing a female they like.

The majority see innocent flirting with someone other than their long-term love - dubbed 'flir-delity' - as the best means of keeping their relationship alive.

And it seems the older we get the better flirts we become! Liz Hurley, Kylie Minogue and Helen Mirren are seen as far sexier than their younger counterparts such as Nicole Richie and Jodie Marsh, according to British men.

Seven-in-ten per Brits admit a spot of innocent flirtation with someone makes them feel sexier and more confident, the Best magazine survey of 2,416 people showed.

Best 'flirtologist' Peta Heskell, author of "Flirt Coach and Secrets of Attraction," said: "Humans are social primates and when we interact in a flirtatious way with a touch of the hand or a compliment it generates hormones which make us feel good.

"Most flirting is harmless banter and the danger only comes if you tell Miss Jones from the typing pool that your wife never says these nice things to you. That is when problems can arise.

"Many females also feel a greater sense of femininity following childbirth. The more confident and secure a woman feels, the more inclined she is to flirt and enjoy her sexuality in a healthy, unthreatening way.

More than a quarter of those in long-term relationships claim a bit of attention and flattery from somebody else actually increases their overall sex drive and makes them desire their own partner even more.

Almost half (47 per cent) of Britons in relationships say whilst they love their partner and have no plan of being unfaithful keeping their sex life alive for the long-term is a concern.

Eight-in-ten see nothing wrong with paying a member of the opposite sex a compliment, 58 per cent believe chatting to someone in a bar is harmless and 48 per cent wouldn't feel guilty about letting someone buy them a drink.

Meanwhile half (49 per cent) think exchanging innuendo and sexy banter is only innocent fun, 42 per cent enjoy the kick of maintaining eye contact with someone they don't know and 89 per cent think smiling at a stranger isn't a cause for concern.

Almost one in ten men think it's OK to kiss somebody on the lips and 17 per cent are happy to exchange flirtatious emails and text messages with someone other than their wife or girlfriend - compared to 3 per cent and 7 per cent for women respectively.

"When I indulge in an innocent flirtation, it reminds me I'm still attractive to other men so come home and am more attentive to my husband. It's fun to look around but it reminds me how lucky I am with what I have at home."

In a poll of household celebrities spanning the decades 42 year-old mother Liz Hurley topped the list of male fantasies receiving 54 per cent of the vote followed by 38 year-old Kylie with 52 per cent.

More than one in four (26 per cent) rate Helen Mirren, 50, whilst almost a quarter (22 per cent) are attracted to Best's own agony aunt Lorraine Kelly.

Said Lorraine: "It's great men are attracted to 'older' women and I think it's because we are perhaps more comfortable in our own skins and don't need to try as hard.

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