Brits spend hours outside

For many Britons, their garden is a place of refuge for significant periods of time, research has revealed.

A study conducted by Lloyds TSB finds that more than a quarter of the nations residents spend more than six hours a week outdoors during spring and summer.

While a hot tub is top of most wish lists for the coming months, a glass house or similar sun-trapping structure also makes the top ten.

Phil Loney, managing director of Lloyds TSB Insurance, says: "Everyone knows that we Brits are a nation of green-fingered garden lovers."

He adds: "Its hard to put a price on the pleasure of a barbeque on a summers evening."

Guidance from the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association notes that one of the cooking appliances, coupled with a sun room for shelter, can allow a home to be extended outdoors.

A glass house could be the ideal means of protecting a barbecue against summer showers while retaining the sense of being outside.