Who should wash the dishes?

They may have promised to have and to hold for richer and for poorer.

But wives are most interested in the richer part.

In a British study of married men and women, the majority of wives - 59 per cent - said they would divorce immediately if their future economic security was assured.

The survey also found more than half of husbands thought their marriage was "loveless".

And among both sexes, more than one in ten wished they had wed someone else.

Responding to the astonishing results, relationship experts warned couples to avoid getting stuck in a rut - or risk the trauma of divorce.

The survey of 2,000 adults revealed that 12 per cent would stay in an unhappy relationship just for an easy life.

Almost 30 per cent said they were staying in a doomed marriage to save themselves going through a massive upheaval.

Thirty-seven per cent said they were staying for the sake of the children.

Almost a third of those polled were concerned they would be left with absolutely nothing if they walked out on their marriage.

And 30 per cent of men said they were scared that they would have to leave without their children.

The survey was commissioned by solicitors Seddons after a rush of divorce applications in the first week of the new year.

Overall, 12 per cent said they were in a loveless relationship and more than a third (35 per cent) believed their marriage would turn stale in the near future.

A shocking 56 per cent admitted they were not completely happy in their relationship - and more than half said they had considered splitting from their partner.

A spokesman for the marriage counselling service-Relate said: "It's so easy for married couples to get stuck in a rut once the realities of paying the bills and getting the children's breakfast sets in.

"Relationships inevitably change over time. Divorce impacts on every single area of a person's life. Dividing up the family home, pets and everything they own is just part of the process."