INFIDELITY is on the rise across Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire, according to new figures.

A total of 1,451 residents in the two local authority areas are registered on an online dating site designed for married men and women.

The Infidelity Index, compiled by IllicitEncounters.com, mapped the location data of its members against each area’s adult population to find the most adulterous towns and cities in the land.

And the latest statistics show a nine per cent increase in the number of Barrhead residents registered as having an affair, rising from 257 last year to a new total of 282.

Meanwhile, in Johnstone, 295 people are listed on the website, compared to 286 last year – a rise of three per cent.

It seems that Renfrew residents are also ‘straying from home’ more often, with the number there going up by six per cent from 304 in 2017 to 324 this year.

And the people of Paisley are even more likely to be unfaithful, with the data showing it is sixth in the infidelity league table for Scottish towns.

A total of 527 Buddies are registered on the IllicitEncounters.com website – an increase of nine per cent from last year’s figure of 480.

Christian Grant, spokesperson for IllicitEncounters.com, said: “Cheating has never been more popular in Scotland and there has been a strong surge since the independence vote four years ago, with a 20 per cent rise in numbers.

“A lot of Scots are trapped in unhappy marriages.

“They are sticking with their partners but seeking discreet excitement elsewhere.

“We tend to find that new towns in Scotland are hotbeds for cheating.”

According to IllicitEncounters.com, the most adulterous town in Scotland is Irvine, with areas such as Leith and Livingston not far behind.

Scotland’s most adulterous city is Inverness, while Glasgow is the most faithful.

The official Infidelity Index 2018 can be viewed at www.infidelityindex.co.uk.