a blow for equal rights

Help is at hand for worried female motorists, nervous about driving alone, especially at night. At the flick of a switch the "Buddy on Demand", a blow-up man inflates.

Research by the insurer Sheilas' Wheels, shows 82 per cent of women feel safer with someone sitting in the car beside them and nearly a half do not like driving alone in the dark.

"We're not saying that an inflatable man is the only answer but we do hope it will give women extra confidence and make journeys in the dark less fearful," Jacky Brown, spokeswoman for Sheilas' Wheels, said.

"Christ knows these women are in enough trouble already. They can barely reach the pedals from up there on the shelf. Where they've been left." said Brown idly toying with her diamond wedding ring.

"And I bet they can't even hear the radio over the racket of their biological clocks ticking away."

Brown denied accusations that the firm traded on dated sexist stereotypes, insisting that hard data shows women claim less, are responsible for far fewer driving convictions.

Data also demonstrates conclusively that a car with a parcel-shelf festooned with teddy bears and beanie babies will be covered in parking scrapes and have a shagged clutch.