Forget Do It Yourself, Brits are declaring 'Do It For Me' as the nation shells out a mind-boggling sum of cash to pay for other people to cater for their needs such as cleaning, gardening and decorating.

Where our forebears expended a lot of their time and energy on life's more tedious tasks, a telling study by BT reveals that almost three quarters (73 per cent) of modern-day Brits would rather call in the experts.

Whether it is due to fading skills, dislike of drudgery or simply a lack of time, we are officially opting for a life of convenience.

For more than half the nation (51 per cent), takeaway food tops this list of services, while a third (34 per cent) eats out at least twice a week.

However, the study also identifies a new breed of convenience lovers, with hundreds of thousands of us demanding personal trainers, personal shoppers and even dog walkers.

One Worcester woman willing to shell out her hard-earned cash on a dog walker is personal assistant Kay Lilley, aged 45.

She uses the services of pet walker Hellen Griffiths, who walks Kay's dogs, five-year-old English Pointer Beckham, and Hobbes, a two-year-old wirehaired miniature Daschund.

Kay, who lives in Rainbow Hill with her recruitment consultant partner Nik Wall, aged 28, and her two children Max, 17, and Cole, 14, explained: "Our circumstances changed.

"We moved to Worcester and knew both Nik and I would be working full time and the children would be at college and school, which meant it would be a very long day for the dogs by themselves.

"But we're not doing it because we're being lazy. We still take them out every day too.

"Hellen's there as my back-up and gives me a feeling of security to know that I'm not going to go home to upset dogs with crossed legs.

"Also, there are days when I get home and I'm tired and don't want to walk the dogs, so if Hellen's been she's taken the pressure off and it means I don't have to.

"I used to have someone to feed my cat and someone do the ironing, but Nik does that now because it's his idea of relaxation, which is fine by me!"

Hellen's' Worcester business Hellen's Hounds is taking full advantage of society's increasing impatience with menial tasks.

In fact, she ditched her day job to set up her innovative pet watching business when she spotted a gap in the potentially lucrative market.

She stumbled on the idea after realising working in a full-time office job while looking after a puppy and 10-year-old daughter was proving too much to cope with.

The married 33-year-old discovered she was not the only person struggling to devote enough time to her beloved pet and family, so set up the business from her home in Salters Close, Brickfields.

"We not only take dogs for a walk round different locations in Worcester, we care for new puppies and also pop in and feed goldfish, cats, guinea pigs or any other pets when people are away on holiday," said Hellen.

"We also water their garden, pick up the post, turn lights on and off at different times and make sure their property is secure.

"My research has shown there's a gap in the market for this kind of service.

"I think most people have to work longer hours these days because of their busier lifestyles.

"However, people still want to have pets and want to be fair to them.

"They know it's not right to leave them at home all day alone and are more aware of pets' needs, so want a service that will ensure they are being looked after."

She said he clientele ranges vastly, from professionals who work full time, to people who are considering a dog but wonder about the commitment of daily walks, and elderly people who have a dog but can no longer walk them due to ill-health.

And thanks to people like Hellen, one in six of us last year avoided the equivalent of two days' hard graft and on average each Brit gains an extra five hours spare time by enlisting the skills of others.

If money were no object, three-fifths of women would hire a full-time hair and make-up artist and almost two-fifths of men cited a personal chauffeur as their ideal assistant. Almost a fifth of 16-24 year olds would like a social diarist to assist with their arduous lifestyles.

And the study also suggests that some conveniences have actually become a necessity - our parents could darn socks and bake bread with ease, but 85 per cent of today's Britons struggle with tasks as simple as ironing a shirt or sewing a button.

Despite televised lessons from Delia Smith and Jamie Oliver, a third confessed they would find it difficult to cater for a dinner party and 15 per cent to bake a cake.

Nearly one in six admitted that they had never been taught these skills and therefore would not know how to perform the tasks, while 24 per cent claim they work hard and deserve to treat themselves, and a quarter simply prefer to let the experts do it.

Leonie Toal, a BT spokeswoman, said: "Our research found that, for many British homes, doing the chores simply entails sitting on the sofa with a phone and the phone book."

And she says the phone book also reflects the increase in demand for everyday services, with it listing almost 5,000 domestic cleaners, 8,000 gardeners, 500 party organisers and 1,200 pet businesses.

Summer's

here, so it's

BBQ time

WITH promises of a scorching summer, here are some of the top gadgets on sale to ensure a sizzling successful barbecue to enjoy the soaring temperatures.

n Bored with burgers and sausages? Spice up your tucker with Sherwood's new Grill BBQW or Bake range, which are sauces in four flavours, Tandoori, Chinese BBQ and Sesame, Sweet Chilli and Herb, and Spicy Mango - all sold at major supermarkets for £1.39.

n All cooked steaks look the same, but this brander (£12.99, www.iwoot.com) can be used to clearly brand your fillet with W, for well done, M for medium, and R for rare.

n Sword skewers cost £5.99 for three from www.iwoot.com and are the perfect way to present your kebabs, sturdier than a piece of bamboo and much more fun.

n However flat you might think the grass is beneath your feet, glasses and bottles only need the slightest encouragement to tipple over. Here is a superb solution. Place your stainless steel holders in the ground (above) and keep the Sauvignon safe. (From £9.99 at www.iwoot.com)

n This 'Partycooler' (above) costs £249.99 from www.drinkstuff. com and has the capacity to keep more than 40 cans ice-cold, and a couple of hinged table-tops act as a mini-bar. This is the must-have gadget for those serious about their barbecues.

Teeth treat

ONE in two adults approaching middle-age would consider having dental treatment purely to improve their appearance, a survey has found.

People in the 36 to 45 year old age-bracket are much more likely than any other age group to consider treatment to improve their smile, according to the National Dental Survey.