Researchers at University College London say there is no evidence linking a man's shoe size to the length of his penis.

After measuring the vital parts of more than 100 men, they concluded that the theory has no scientific basis.

The ability to predict the size of a man's penis by observing his shoe size is a common misconception

Dr Jyoti Shah

It has long been suggested that various parts of a man's body - his nose, hands or feet - could indicate penis size.

But Dr Jyoti Shah and colleagues at UCL and St Mary's Hospital London say their findings dispel the theory around feet, at least.

Measuring up

They examined 104 men attending a London urology clinic. They included teenagers and pensioners and the average age was 54.

The researchers measured the men's penises when soft and gently stretched.

Writing in the British Journal of Urology International, they said: "All lengths were measured by two urologists and recorded to the nearest 0.5cm. The age and shoe size was documented."

While the true size of the penis can only be determined when erect, the researchers said that their method provided a good indication of length.

The researchers found that the average penis was 13cm when soft and gently stretched. This figure ranged from 6cm at the lower end of the scale to 18cm at the higher end.

The men had an average British shoe size of 9 or 43 in European measurements.

However, they found no correlation between shoe size and penis length.

The researchers said: "Many believe that the size of a man's penis can be estimated by assessing various other parts of his body, notoriously his shoe size."

But they added: ""The ability to predict the size of a man's penis by observing his shoe size is a common misconception.

"The present study shows that there is no scientific support for the relationship."