1 in 5 Brit adults has a secret love: Study

London, July 13 (ANI): One in every 5 adults has a secret love, a new UK research has revealed.

One in five of all adults have confessed they are in love with someone other than their current partner.

About five million Britons harbour amorous thoughts for another person despite already being married or cohabiting, according to the study.

And the detested partner probably already knows the love interest of their loved-one, because the tempter or temptress is most likely to be a close friend, a work colleague or an old flame.

According to market researchers firm OnePoll.com, if a couple stays together for three years and three months, they are probably in the clear because this is the maximum amount of time most feelings for other people last.

The research questioned 3,000 people online and concluded that one in six people had had a long-term affair. One in every 25 people had been in love with someone else for more than five years, reports The Daily Express.

One in every 50 people had loved some- one other than their partner for as long as they could remember. Men were the worst culprits, with 22 per cent admitting a secret love, compared with 15 per cent of women.

"Even in a happy relationship, it's possible to have a wandering eye or crave affection from another," A spokesman from OnePoll.com said.

"For those who can't control their lust, this usually leads to an affair and potentially the start of a marriage or relationship breakdown," he added. (ANI)