Married and over 45? That's when the kissing stops

A fifth of married couples go a full week without kissing - with older people among the least romantic.

Even when couples do kiss it is usually a quick affair lasting no more than five seconds, according to a survey.

But younger sweethearts are more romantic with those aged between 18 and 24 saying they lock lips with a partner 11 times a week on average.

The findings have been released to launch a campaign by the British Heart Foundation to teach lifesaving skills such as the kiss of life to school children as part of the national curriculum.

Celebrities were also asked to reveal their most memorable kiss for a Youtube video made by the charity.

ITV weather girl Clare Nasir welled up with tears as she said: "My greatest kiss was on November 11 2009 when my daughter was born. She was six weeks premature and we almost lost her.

"It took us six years to have a baby and it was the best day of my life."

Former EastEnders star Nadia Sawalha giggled as she said: "The one (kiss) that I shared with my husband in a lift in Sweden - he knows the rest of the story."

British Olympics gymnast Louis Smith said his was at school kissing "that one girl that's older who you think is amazing."

He added: "When I turned 18 I went out with my friends and this girl was there. We kissed for about three seconds and my friends jumped on me, celebrating like I had just kissed Victoria Beckham."

Hollyoaks actress Carely Stenson said of her most memorable kiss: "It was when I woke up in the morning to find my nephews and nieces jumping on my bed, giving me lots of cuddles."

Meanwhile, the charity's kissing survey found only five per cent of people aged over 45 are managing more than 30 snogs a week.

Regionally, it found East Anglians kiss the most with an average nine snogs each week but Scots are kissing the longest - their average smacker lasts 28 seconds.

Ellen Mason, Senior Cardiac Nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "Our survey reveals some fun facts about the nation's kissing habits but there's one kiss you might give once in a lifetime that could be a lifeline.

"The greatest kiss you could ever give someone is the kiss of life, that's why we want every young person to leave school knowing how to help in an emergency situation.

"This is an idea which could put hundreds of thousands of new lifesavers on the streets every year."

A recent survey by the charity revealed overwhelming support from teachers, kids and parents for young people to learn emergency lifesaving skills at school.

More than 4 in 5 teachers (86 per cent) believe it should be taught at school, and 78 per cent of kids and 70 per cent of parents agree.

The charity is asking parents, teachers and children to sign a petition to make it a mandatory part of the national curriculum in England.


/ The Telegraph/