Scientists reveal the perfect person to have an affair with is a male 52-year-old, green-eyed Audi driver who's 5ft11

It is said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The perfect partner for an affair, however, seems to be a more universal experience.

In what amounts to a recipe for how to play away, researchers for the UK's largest married dating website say women interested in cheating on their husbands would ideally choose a 52-year-old, 5ft 11in lover with green eyes and brown hair who drives an Audi, earns more than £50,000 and lives in Hertfordshire.

If he also happens to have size 10 feet, is of athletic build, and his star sign is Libra, then a wife with a wandering eye has really hit the jackpot, according to the analysis of how many views and clicks of members of illicitencounters.com there have been over the past year.

Straying husbands apparently have equally precise preferences: their ideal choice of a woman to have an affair with would be a 44-year-old, 5ft 6in, have blue eyes, blonde, curly hair, live in Norfolk, drive a Toyota and earn more than £30,000.

Researchers for the UK's largest married dating website say women interested in cheating on their husbands would ideally choose a 52-year-old, 5ft 11in lover. (file photo)

If she is also an Aquarius with size 5 feet and a toned physique, she would tick all of the top ten boxes to be the cheating chap's other woman and could even be classed as the most attractive woman in the country, according to the research into which profiles on the website - which has just over 1.5 million members - were most popular.

Relationship expert and illicitencounters.com spokesman Jessica Leoni yesterday(fri) said: 'We all know perfection is subjective and varies from person to person, but it's been a real eye-opener collating this data.

'Of course, the notion of a 'perfect partner' can be a bit of a romanticised ideal. Just remember, the key to a successful and fulfilling relationship lies in finding someone whose values align with yours, communicates well, and brings out the best in you...not necessarily the colour of their hair.

'However, if your partner does fit all the attributes on the lists, it's nice to know that you're officially in a relationship with the UK's most attractive person.'