They are beloved of sports stars and socialites such as The Beckhams and Millie Mackintosh.

But anyone considering buying a French Bulldog should be prepared for a lifetime of expensive vets bills because the animals are so unhealthy, the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has warned.

The breed has boomed in popularity in recent years, with the number of puppies born rising a staggering 7500 per cent since 2003, with around 12,000 dogs now bred for the British market each year.

Now the largest ever study, which looked at 2,228 French Bulldogs has found the animals are vulnerable to range of health conditions including ear infections, diarrhoea and conjunctivitis.

Compared to dogs overall, French Bulldogs were found to be particularly prone to skin fold dermatitis - which affects three percent of all dogs, and brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome, which impacts more than one in 50.