We might get an extra hour in bed this weekend, but experts predict house burglaries will soar by 25% when winter time officially begins, according to new research.

The study by insurance price comparison site comparethemarket.com, also found that 2.5 million British households have no adequate protection against theft, while at least half of us admit to security lapses that make our homes more accessible to thieves.

A spokesman for the website said: "For most good citizens, the clocks going back this Sunday means nothing more than an extra hour in bed

"But for the seasonally-savvy burglar it means an even easier time when it comes to burgling our property."

However, today's burglars might not operate in such dark conditions as those a decade ago, different research suggests.

According to a survey sponsored by lighting specialists Abacus Lighting, almost two thirds of people believe the night time sky is lighter today than it was 10 years ago.

Of the 2,000 adults interviewed, a third admitted that light outside their bedroom window contributed to sleepless nights.

A spokeswoman for the Campaign to Protect Rural England said: "Light pollution has become a significant issue in the UK over the past 50 years.

"All direct light pollution is wasted energy: light shining were it is not needed or wanted. And the great majority of that wasted light is made by burning fossil fuels in power stations.

"We calculate that if light pollution was reduced, Britain's output of carbon dioxide would then be cut by several tens of thousands of tonnes a year."