One in four UK tourists will spend too much, with men and younger holidaymakers the main culprits, the survey from First Direct found.

Last year, British adults spent �253 more than originally planned while on holiday and this year the figure is likely to rise to �256.

Chief among the excuses used by Britons was difficulty converting local currencies to sterling values, while one in seven said they lost track of the amount of money leaving their account while away.

The biggest over-spenders this year are likely to be Londoners, who are expected to exceed their budget by �301 according to the survey.

At the other end of the scale, people from the North East of England are the best at keeping their spending under control when on holiday.

Overall, men are more likely to overspend than women, while 41% of 16-24 year olds and 36% of 25-34 year olds are prone to breaking their budget.

"The last thing anyone wants to think about while on holiday is coming back to find their finances in a state of emergency and their bank turning up the heat," said Alan Hughes, First Direct chief executive.