A NEW cheating map has revealed how many people are having affairs in towns across the country – and there are thousands of unfaithful partners in Sussex.

The figures from Illicit Encounters, the UK’s leading affairs dating website, found that Brighton and Hove has the highest number of cheaters in the county.

16,937 people were having an affair in the last year – the third highest figure in proportion to population in the UK.

The Argus: In Brighton and Hove, 16,973 people are having an affair. Credit: Illicit EncountersIn Brighton and Hove, 16,973 people are having an affair. Credit: Illicit Encounters

This is up on the same period last year when 16,014 people were said to be seeing other people than their partners.

Haywards Heath also featured in the top one hundred worst towns for affairs, coming in at number 69.

There are said to be 826 people in the town having an affair.

Littlehampton and Bexhill were also featured, with 1,340 and 1,028 people respectively said to be having an affair, according to the website’s figures.

The Argus: Hundreds of people in Haywards Heath are said to be having an affair. Credit: Illicit EncountersHundreds of people in Haywards Heath are said to be having an affair. Credit: Illicit Encounters

Illicit Encounters claims the rise is due to the ending of lockdown restrictions and people wanting change after spending months inside with their partners.

Spokeswoman Jessica Leoni said: “Record numbers of people came back from their summer holidays miserable and looking for excitement after 18 months of being bored and stuck at home with their partners.

“We have enjoyed the busiest year in our history with women in particular looking to start afresh and joining in unprecedented numbers.

“The cheating surge will continue as more of us return to the office in the run-up to Christmas. Adulterers often use work as a way to cover up their affair.”

The figures are based on Illicit Encounters' own extensive data on the numbers of people cheating.

The interactive Infidelity Index allows users to search a city, town or postcode to discover how many people are having affairs in any locality.

Here are the top ten towns in Sussex with the most amount of people having affairs (in relation to population):

1. Bexhill: 1,028 (2.42 per cent of population)

2. Haywards Heath: 826 (2.44 per cent of population)

3. Littlehampton: 1,340 (2.4 per cent of population)

4. Horsham: 816 (1.69 per cent of population)

5. Bognor: 985: (1.54 per cent of population)

6. Burgess Hill: 440 (1.43 per cent of population)

7. East Grinstead: 389 (1.33 per cent of population)

8. Crawley: 1,172 (1.09 per cent of population)

9. Hastings: 927 (1.01 per cent of population)

10. Eastbourne 921: (0.84 per cent of population)