A quarter of Britons are still in touch with their first best friend from childhood, a new study suggested today.

今日发布的一项新研究显示，四分之一的英国人仍然和童年时结交的第一个好友保持联系。

One in four said they were still in contact with their closest pal¹ from primary school, according to the friendship poll.

The survey of 1,050 adults found the average Brit only counted five of their current day acquaintances（熟人，相识） as 'close friends'.

Women were more likely to keep the same friends as they went through life, with three in 10 still close to their first best friend, compared with two out of 10 men.

But females also appeared more selective when it came to who they counted as friends, with men averaging one more close friend among their immediate² circle than the fairer sex.

The study by snack maker³ Pom-Bear to highlight its 'Let Make Friends' campaign revealed some marked differences in friendship patterns across the country.

Four out of 10 in the North East were still close to their first best friend from school, compared with just two out of 10 people in the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside and the South West.

People living in the North West and the Midlands were found to have been the most fickle⁴（浮躁的，易变的） in collecting 'best friends' through their school years, with a third of respondents from each region admitting they had counted no fewer than five 'best mates' along the way.

Londoners claimed to have the largest circle of friends as adults with more than six each, compared with those in the South West who averaged less than four.

Respondents aged⁵ 18 to 34 and the over-55s claimed to have the greatest number of friends.

Roxanne Amir-Mohammadi, brand manager from Pom-Bear said: 'Even though many of us can count many more people in our wider circle of acquaintances, we are still quite choosy when it comes to defining who we consider to be our real friends.

'It also appears that the busiest years of our working lives take their toll⁶ when it comes to staying in touch with friends with people aged between 35 and 44 averaging less than four friends each.'