TECHNO TURN-OFF
Modern technology is making British couples less romantic than ever, according to a new study.
One in 20 people will say 'I love you' for the first time by TEXT while almost as many rely on a phone call or email.
Men are so lacking in romance that a third - more than seven million - admit they have NEVER penned a love letter to their sweetheart.
And the average British woman hasn't received a romantic love note for nine YEARS.
But the survey of 2,500 people by high street stationery chain Partners revealed women are almost as bad - five per cent would rather text, call or email 'I love you' than say it face-to-face.
Overall, 15 per cent of men and ten per cent of women would rather not face their lover when they explain how they feel for the first time.
And over 70 per cent of people said they would be 'shocked' if they received a hand-written love letter rather than a text or a phone call.
Of those who have put pen to paper a third revert back to war times by spraying the paper with their perfume before sealing the envelope.
And a saucy one in five have used secret codes to sign off their love notes with SWALK (sealed with a loving kiss) and HOLLAND (hope our love lasts and never dies) being top of the list.
Lisa Bond from Partners said: ''It's a real shame the art of writing a love letter seems to be dying out. Lovers are obviously getting lazy and are relying on instant form of communication like text messages and email.
''Yet receiving a letter from a sweetheart is one of the most romantic gestures and one which can be treasured for the rest of your life, not deleted at the touch of a button.''
TOP LOVE LETTER ACRONYMS
SWALK - Sealed with a loving kiss
HOLLAND - Hope our love lasts and never dies
NORWICH - Knickers off ready when I come home
CIL - Crazy in love
LYM - Love you madly
ILYMTTASITS - I love you more than there are stars in the sky
BURMA -Be undressed ready my angel
MALAYA - My ardent lips await your arrival
ITALY - I love and trust you
KOTL - Kiss on the lips