More men than ever are still living with their parents at age 30, according to government figures released on Thursday.

The latest Social Trends survey found grown men were increasingly reluctant to fly the nest.

Nearly a third of men aged between 20 and 35 are living with their parents, compared with only one in four in 1977/8.

Women, on the other hand, are becoming more independent. Only one in six are still enjoying home comforts at the age of 35, half as many as the number of men.

The report's co-editor, Jil Matheson, said: "Some young people may be delaying leaving home because of difficulties entering the housing market.

"The later age of marriage may also be a factor."

Some of those living with parents may have moved back to the parental home because of failed relationships or financial crises.

Young celebrities still living at home include decathlete Dean Macey, 22, who shares a bedroom at his parents' home in Canvey Island, Essex with his 13-year-old brother Adam.

'Mum is best'

Would-be Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, is another who left it late to fly the nest. He was 27 before he moved out.

But controversial comic Bernard Manning, who lived with his mother Nellie for 20 years, said men who stayed at home were making the right choice.

He said: "They are getting everything done for them - their shirts ironed, their beds made, meals on the table - and things a wife would never dream of doing, like ironing the cuffs and collars of your shirts.

"A wife would leave those, saying 'That's good enough'. With mothers, nothing is good enough for their sons."

The report also showed gender differences in the reasons given for divorce.

The majority of women blamed their husbands' unreasonable behaviour while for men it was their wives' adultery which was the final straw.