Socks usually worn to prevent blood clots during long-haul flights could also banish snoring, according to new research.

The flight socks are thought to reduce the amount of fluid that builds up in the lower part of the legs during the day.

Some studies have found that at night some of this fluid 'shifts' up to the neck area as a result of gravity when the patient is lying down. This can lead to obstructive sleep apnoea, a snoring–related condition that affects an estimated three million people in Britain.