People living in south west England spend the most on food while on holiday, according to a survey.

They fork out an average of £470, while East Midlanders splash out the most - £496 - on new outfits, luggage and toiletries before trips, the poll by Virgin Atlantic Airways found.

Those living in south east England treat themselves to an average of two new outfits for their holiday, while Londoners buy an average of five new pieces of clothing before their breaks.

The survey of 2,000 people also showed that Britons spend an average of six months putting away money to pay for their trip, which they start to plan around three months before they depart.

The average price paid for a trip is £1,470, with favourite destinations including the Caribbean, South Africa and Florida.

Virgin Atlantic spokeswoman Janine Doy said: "Given the amount of rain we've had in the past few weeks, it's not surprising how much money people will spend to get some guaranteed summer sunshine.

"Holidaymakers who would have previously opted for cheaper destinations are trading up because they simply can't stand this weather.''