A NEW study claims to have discovered the secret to the perfect cup of tea.

Researchers at University College London found that tea must be allowed to brew for five minutes to allow complex flavours to emerge.

Malcolm Ferris Lay who works for the tea council, travels the world lecturing on tea and advises hotels such as The Ritz, The Dorchester and The Savoy says:

“In the UK, we are always in a rush and the average person leaves their tea to brew for just 30 seconds, which is not long enough and one of the main problems in tea making. Something else that is important is to always use freshly boiled water, a warmed pot and good quality tea. It's important to say that in the UK we drink 165 million cups of tea every day so we are experts at making tea. Forget all the information on how to make the best cup - the most important thing is that you make your tea the way you like it. It’s about enjoying a relaxing moment over a cup of tea made the way you enjoy.”