Age 31... Is this when a woman is at the peak of her appeal?

With a £4million ITV contract in her pocket and an engagement to her England footballer boyfriend rumoured to be imminent, it's been a good year for Christine Bleakley.

Perhaps it's no wonder, as the TV presenter is 31, the age at which women are their most attractive, according to a survey.

Confident: At 31, Christine Bleakley and Kelly Brook are at their most attractive

While the average British woman of 31 may be married with a child, the survey noted they are at a prime age because they have youthful beauty but also more confidence and a better sense of style than fresh-faced teenagers.

Some 70 per cent of more than 2,000 men and women polled  cited confidence as a key factor in making a woman attractive, ahead of the 67 per cent who included physical beauty and 47 per cent who looked for a sense of style.

Almost two thirds of women surveyed agreed with the proposition 'With age, comes beauty', and over half said that as they age they shed their insecurities and feel more beautiful, while 55 per cent felt they knew the best make-up to wear.

Self- confidence varied widely across the country in the survey: London women emerged as the most confident about their looks, with 37 per cent describing themselves as beautiful, compared with just 28 per cent of Welsh women.

Meanwhile, East Midlands women spend the most on beauty regimes  -  £129.69 monthly  -  compared with a national average of £105.50.

The research was carried out for TV shopping channel QVC to mark the launch of its 'Beauty Month'.

QVC marketing director Sue Leeson said: 'This research shows what many have always suspected  -  real beauty is about more than just good looks but a combination of confidence, style and personality too.'

Since former One Show host Miss Bleakley's birthday in February, she has signed up to front ITV's new breakfast line-up.

Meanwhile the Northern Irish presenter's relationship with England and Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has become so serious that friends of the couple are predicting a proposal soon.

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