Although January may have the reputation as the peak month for relationships break up, new statistics show Saturday night is due to be the year's biggest night for first dates.

On top of that, an estimated 70,000 wil turn into a new romance by February.

A survey of 5,000 singles by PARSHIP.co.uk, Europe's largest scientifically-based online dating service, showed Britain's singles will go on 2.5 million first dates this January, almost three times more than in December and twice as many as any other single month of the year.

Another recent PARSHIP poll found four out of five people said they would actively to meet someone in January.

Almost half said they would look for a committed relationship, more than one in ten for a casual relationship and one in five for any type of relationship.

Nearly half of singles, 45 per cent of men and 50 per cent of women also admitted to feeling particularly lonely in January.

Dr Victoria Lukats, psychiatrist and PARSHIP.co.uk's dating expert, said: "These findings are consistent with previous surveys. We know that more people join internet dating services in January than any other time of year.

"We also know that internet dating has now become the single most common way of finding a partner.

"The explanation could be down to the post-Christmas malaise, pressure from well-meaning friends and relatives or New Year's resolutions."