Infidelity is rife in Britain, with a staggering 47 per cent admitting to having cheated on their partner, a survey has revealed.

The poll, by MSN, also found that as many as 63 per cent are aware that they have been cheated on.

But where there is infidelity there is also forgiveness. As many as 42 per cent admitted that they forgave their unfaithful partner while 30 per cent also confessed that they'd turn a blind eye to a one night stand.

So is this pattern of cheating and forgiveness the future of our relationships?

"Human beings seem to be programmed to crave new things - new flavours in food, new music, new clothes - which is why making a relationship work, can be difficult," Sex and releationships expert Siski Green told the Daily Mail.

"It means weighing up the pros and cons of an affair and realising that you have far more to lose than to gain with a fling. It also means finding ways to add novelty to your relationship so boredom or complacency doesn't set in."

The survey found that the reason people cheat lies mainly with alcohol consumption (25 per cent) and revenge (20 per cent).

"Cheating on a partner is like cheating on a diet - you know it's bad, you even know that you'll probably pay the price for it, but in moments of weakness, desire for someone new (or a big slice of chocolate cake!), your desire to be 'good' is overcome," added Siski.

Despite these depressing infidelity findings, Brits added that they wouldn't mind their partner cheating at all - but only if it was with a celebrity. Cheryl Cole, Angelina Jolie and Kelly Brook to be exact.