Women naughtier at 70 than 40

The value women place on sexual attraction dips in middle age but returns after retirement, according to a new research.

Parenting website Netmums and the magazine Saga asked 9,000 women aged 16 to 75 what exactly they look for in a long-term partner, and found that women in their 70s value sexual chemistry in a partner more than women in their 40s.

"The results provide some intriguing insights into real relationships across the generations," the Telegraph quoted Emma Soames, editor at large of Saga Magazine, as saying.

"It's reassuring to see that over 50, the desire for sexual chemistry returns, showing that women still value the thing that brought them together with their partner in the first place," she added.

Across the ages, one in five women questioned said that they were after a man who makes them weak at the knees.

Siobhan Freegard, co-founder of Netmums, suggested that the dip in sexuality could be the result of middle-aged women putting their family first year after year.

"Women could be going through a temporary sexual midlife crisis, as they concentrate on their careers and raising a family," she said.

"Perhaps the two generations should take a leaf out of each others books that today''s younger women should put more emphasis on the traditional and enduring qualities whilst the over 50s could maybe demand more open dialogue with their man," she added.