As much as you like someone, it's unlikely you'd be keen to lock lips with them if their nose is running and they're sneezing all over the place. Because you'd catch their cold, right?

Well, according to new research conducted by Professor Ron Eccles, director of the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University, you can't actually transfer the virus through kissing.

In fact, he insists the germs are spread through mucus, not saliva, so there's no harm in a bit of tongue action if you're up for it.

The vast majority of us have been unaware of these details, with a survey of 1,000 British citizens finding that 57 per cent of people would turn down a first kiss on a date if the person was sniffling.

However, 86 per cent are happy to hold hands, blissfully unaware that you're more likely to get infected through these means, as fingers are probably used to wipe any contaminated areas.

The notion of someone turning up on a first date with a cold was enough for a fifth of participants to reject a second date, and 79 per cent wouldn't go out with someone again if they had wiped their nose on their sleeve.

People are so worried about catching bugs that around a fifth wouldn't even share a bed with someone who was ill. And it seems women are warier of falling sick, as 70 per cent wouldn't kiss a partner with a cold, compared to 44 per cent of men.

The research was carried out by nasal decongestant Otrivine.

"The common cold virus travels in the mucus from the respiratory system. So unless you have a bad cough, and some of the respiratory mucus has made its way into your saliva, the cold virus will not be transmitted by kissing," Professor Eccles explained.

"The cold virus is transferred by contaminated fingers that pass the virus to the nose and eye. Your fingers can easily become contaminated with viruses by holding hands with someone who has coughed or sneezed into their hands, or by touching door handles in public places."

He added that to spread the infection you'd have to be in extremely close contact with another person and have prolonged contact, with acts such as sneezing or coughing on them being the trigger.

Gareth Coady of Otrivine noted that people clearly lack understanding of the common cold and are at greater risk of catching one as a result of ignorance.

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