IN January each year thousands of people vow to quit smoking, drink less, exercise more and work harder.

But it seems the New Year can also mean heartache for many couples, if the figures from Swindon's Relate counsellors are to be believed. There has been an eightfold rise in calls for relationship guidance compared to the week before Christmas.

Perhaps people yearn for the perfect body, perfect life and perfect relationship at this time of year.

While the figures are not exactly cheering news, because they show how stressful Christmas has become these days, it's good to see that people are at least seeking help for their troubles, rather than throwing the baby out with the bathwater and making the resolution to split up for good.