A COMET country town is one of the kinkiest in the country, says a sex shop, whose figures reveal the area as one of the UK’s biggest spenders when it comes to naughty toys.

Sex toys are causing quite a buzz in Hitchin, with online retailer Lovehoney.co.uk claiming its residents are within the top 10 spenders in the country.

People in the town spent an average of £1.25 on sex toys last year, making it the eighth “kinkiest” town, according to figures released this week.

Hitchin finds itself among the likes of Alderley Edge in Cheshire, whose residents top the list with their spend of £1.72 a year on average, Chigwell in Essex, and Aylesford in Kent.

Lovehoney.co.uk says its figures show wealthier and well-off areas – such as Hitchin – spend more on toys.

And co-founder Neal Slateford attributed the “Fifty Shades of Grey effect” to a surge in sales, both in the town and nationwide.

He said: “People would rather spend £40 on some sex toys than go out for a meal together, especially with the recession biting.

“They’ll have a lot more fun together at home and they’ll burn off some calories, not put them on.

“Sex toys are a normal part of millions of people’s lives. More than half of young women have them beside their bed – and have a great time using them.”

The retailer says West Bromwich is the “least sexy” town in Britain, spending just 13p a year on average.