Romantic couples planning to marry are prepared to spend thousands on their big day - including buying the perfect ring - but the newly weds struggle when it comes to keeping hold of the valuable symbol, according to a new study.

Around £100 million of wedding and engagement rings are lost in Britain within a year of being bought, claims research by Prudential.

Some 2,000 partners polled by the insurance firm revealed more than four in ten people lose the wedding ring within the first five years of marriage.

Men are the worst at holding onto their precious keepsake with one in six husbands admitting to misplacing the love token after only three months of marriage and one in five confessing to having to replace it in the first year.

Brides are more careful with the treasure as just one in 20 women said they had lost their engagement ring within 12 months of receiving it.

"Insurance can't replace the sentimental value," said a Prudential spokesperson.