Women going on holiday take twice as many clothes as they actually need, a new survey has revealed.

For years, husbands and boyfriends have been bemused by the amount of clothes their female partners crammed into suitcases. And now a new survey commissioned by P&O Cruises has confirmed what they always suspected - that half the garments never get used.

However, a leading psychologist today said that over-packing should not be seen as a fault as it demonstrates women's ability to plan for every eventuality.

Cary Cooper, professor of organizational psychology at Lancaster University, said that women only packed too many clothes because they had greater foresight than men.

"Women are planners and they look at every eventuality. They are also likely to think 'better to be safe than sorry'. This is why they pack so many clothes when they go on holiday."

"And what's wrong with packing too much? It's better than packing too little which is what men are likely to be guilty of," he said. 

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