Where is your money safest? In the bank? Or would you rather keep it in an empty margarine tub, a teapot, or the freezer?

A survey has found 20 per cent of grown-up Londoners stash their spare cash away in a piggy bank - more than in any other UK region.

Piggy bank savers are more likely to be female, under 34, and living in London, according to the research from Virgin Money.

Glass jars, bottles and bags are also popular places for Britons to hide their dosh around their homes.

Men had £53.80 lying around the house on average, while women kept £31.30 in their home typically, the survey of more than 2,000 people found.

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One in 20 (five per cent) people used the sock drawer to hide their money, while one in 200 (0.5 per cent) placed it under the mattress.

The main reasons for keeping money at home were so they could see their cash, so they could use it for everyday spending and because they wanted to be able to access it at all times.

Another clue as to why people were happy to leave money lying around at home was that only around one in four (27 per cent) were happy with the interest they were earning on money they had put away elsewhere.

Nearly one in five (17 per cent) said their money was earning them no interest at all.

On average, people said they would need to earn an average of £120 in extra interest a year to be persuaded to move their money.

Zack Hocking, savings director at Virgin Money, said: "Piggy banks are a great starting point for children learning the basics of saving money, but there is a clear opportunity for adults to gather their stockpiles together and make their money work harder for them.

"Whether it is under the mattress, in a bottle, or in a sock drawer, that money could be contributing towards their savings goals."