THE majority of UK adults are no longer letting their loved ones blow out candles on birthday cakes to avoid spreading infections, a new survey has found.

Personalised birthday cake company Bakerdays.com found that 74% of people had ditched the tradition and 97% said the coronavirus pandemic had made them more wary about how unhygienic the act could be.

Of the 2,500 people surveyed, one in six plan to ban birthday candles completely from all future celebrations.

Andrea Guzyova, founder of Treats and Bites, said: "Birthdays, engagement parties and Christenings... whatever the occasion, cake is an essential part of the celebration.

"It’s no secret that, with the recent pandemic, peoples thoughts and feelings towards using candles will have changed, however that doesn’t have to mean you can’t celebrate in style."

He suggested several alternatives to candles to sit atop a birthday cake.

These included sparklers, personalised cake toppers and battery-operated candles.

For a more authentic experience, Guzyova also said people could place a single candle on a separate cupcake, which could then be blown out without affecting other people's sweet treats.