Brits have long been known for their inherent love of queuing but according to academics their willingness to wait in line is governed by a rule of six.

A new study by researchers at University College London has found that people will wait for an average of six minutes in a queue before giving up in frustration.

What is more, people are unlikely to join a queue that has more than six people in it.

However when it comes to the likelihood of them becoming too irritated and leaving the queue, it virtually evaporates if the number of people behind them has grown to six people or more. And in keeping with the theme, the report also revealed that a six inch radius is the minimum amount of personal space that needs to be afforded to a person in a queue, to avoid increasing stress or anxiety.

Professor Adrian Furnham, who co-authored the report, said: “The British have a well-established culture of queuing and a very specific type of queue conduct, one that has been known to confuse many a foreign visitor. “In a time when Britain is changing rapidly, and the ways in which we queue are shifting, the psychology behind British queuing is more important than ever – it a one of the keys to unlocking British culture.”