As far as excuses go, turning down an intimate night of passion with a woman to watch an episode of a soap opera, may not rest easy in some households.

But incredulously, it seems men are just as likely as women to make up excuses for not having sex - blaming the weather or being too busy watching EastEnders.

New research has found that 60 per cent of men have told their partner they are too tired for sex, while nearly half said they were not in the mood.