St Albans has been named as the second most adulterous city in the UK.

According to IllicitEncounters.com, 9.12 per cent of supposedly monogamous people in this historic city are cheating on their partners.

That is 5,015 people in relationships actively looking to cheat on the dating website for married people.

Last year St Albans ranked top on the Infidelity Index for just Hertfordshire, with 3.25 per cent of people having affairs, but this new rank is unprecedented nationally - the city has jumped up 34 places from 36th place.

In comparison, only about ten miles south, Watford is the eighth most faithful town in the UK.

Hemel Hempstead and Stevenage also feature on the list of shame, but much lower, ranking 83rd and 24th respectively.

The only town to top St Albans this year is Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire.

IllicitEncounters.com calculated the figures by mapping the addresses of its members against the adult population of each town, giving an overall percentage of cheating adults, along with each town’s overall number of adulterers.

The site’s spokesperson, Christian Grant, said: “Oh dear. We’ve been running the Infidelity Index for a few years now, but St Albans’ jump from 36th place to second in the space of a year is unprecedented.

“It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why this may be the case, but we can make some educated guesses. With house prices in and around London continuing to rise, many people in an unhappy marriage find the economic implications of a divorce too scary to contemplate, especially in today’s economy.

“Combine that with the fact that St Albans is within easy reach of the nation’s capital, and it’s safe to say that its population isn’t exactly spoilt for choice.

“On the plus side, as the eighth most faithful town in the UK, Watford is doing a stellar job of redeeming Hertfordshire’s reputation somewhat.

“For the seemingly unhappily married couples of St Albans, let’s hope for a better 2019.”

See the whole list at www.infidelityindex.co.uk