Sporty women are likely to have more sexual partners than those who are less active, research suggests.

The study of almost 7,000 men and women aged 50 and over asked them how many partners they had had over their lifetime.

The findings showed that around one in five men British men over 50 and one in 12 women in the same age group have slept with 10 or more people.

And the study found that among women, those who took part in regular exercise were more likely to have more partners. Overall, women who were vigorously active at least once a week were found to be 73 per cent more likely to have at least 10 partners compared with those who were less active.

Researchers said that taking part in sports might increase opportunities for social interaction, increasing the number of potential sexual partners one might meet.

They said that participation in physical activity might boost confidence, increasing the chance of sexual encounters.