Ladies prefer brains!

They say gentlemen prefer blondes, but a new survey has revealed that ladies prefer brains.

Education and a successful career beat brawn and good looks when it comes to the mating game, with a majority of women finding scientists more attractive than hunks.

Doctors topped a poll of the most attractive lifetime partners, with pilots coming in second and scientists third.

Boffins are rated well above the more traditional "sexy" professions like soldiers or actors in the study.

Among actors "Mr D'Arcy" Colin Firth was rated by woman as the most attractive celebrity with Ewan McGregor in 2nd place and James Bond star Daniel Craig third.

TV survival expert Ray Mears was deemed the least attractive celebrity in the poll, carried out for JCB Toughphones.

It revealed that men believed flexing their muscles in the gym or as a personal trainer would attract the opposite sex, but women admitted finding boffins and farmers more attractive.

Both genders rated IT workers and accountants the least appealing mates.

Birmingham-based expert dating coach Peter Spalton said: "People are looking for more intelligent partners these days because they earn more money.

"Brains mean more security and, in these days, jobs are difficult to come by so someone who is very bright with a steady job will be more of a turn-on than someone without those things.

"Women are attracted to people who are able to provide more to them in the future."

Jason Kemp of JCB Toughphones said: "It’s not surprising that women find still find professions such as doctors and pilots sexy.

"But the impact of Brian Cox and rise of scientists in the list of attractive professions underlines the fact that women find intelligent men more of a turn on than men who are just hunks."