Britons love to wake up to the sound of a bird tweeting or warbling, according to a poll which showed that birdsong is the most popular alarm tone after the traditional beep.

Although the beep led the way, birdsong was ahead of church bells, chimes, World War Two sirens and dogs barking.

By contrast, the least popular tones were violin screeching and kettle whistling.

"The songbird as muse has enriched our cultural life for centuries, and in some cases, it's been said it has made life worth living," the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) said in a statement.

The poll was carried out by British digital radio maker PURE whose latest model provides access to 365 alarm tones, one for every day of the year.