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Wondering how to attract the man of your dreams? Well ladies, new research has found that (surprise, surprise) revealing plenty of flesh is the way to go - though not too much.

(Male?) researchers at the University of Leeds have come up with the exact proportion of skin that women should have on show - and the magic number is 40 per cent. Any more than that, and women receive far less interest from men.

Following that theory, Cheryl Cole, pictured above in a revealing Alexandra McQueen dress at her birthday bash, shouldn't expect to get many offers.

Their findings are apparently based on a study carried out by four female researchers, who secretly observed women at one of the city's busiest nightclubs from a balcony above the dance floor.

The researchers recorded what the women were wearing (using tape recorders hidden in their handbags) and how many times each of them were approached by men on the dance floor.

For the purposes of the study, each exposed arm accounted for 10 per cent of the body, each leg for 15 per cent and the torso for 50 per cent.

They discovered that women who revealed around 40 per cent of their skin attracted twice as many men as those who dressed more modestly.

However, those who exposed more than the magic 40 per cent didn't get many offers. Experts suggest this is because men believe that women who expose more of their bodies would not be faithful.

The ladies who attracted most men combined the 40 per cent rule with tight clothing and sexy dancing (now there's a surprise). Apparently the 15 per cent of women who fitted all three criteria were rewarded with approaches from 40 men, according to the journal Behaviour.

Lead researcher Dr Colin Hendrie told the Daily Mail: "Any more than 40 per cent and the signal changes from 'allure' to one indicating general availability and future infidelity. Show some leg, show some arm, but not any more than that."

Hmm, reminds us of our mum's old rule "legs or cleavage dear - never both at the same time".

Something tells us these celebs haven't heard of the 40 per cent rule...