Plumbers could be surprise beneficiaries of World Cup fever this year, it has been claimed.
According to new figures, football fans will boost the number of callouts to tradesmen and women by 25 per cent because of the surge in flushing during matches.
Almost half (45 per cent) of all England supporters are expected to take a comfort break during half time, according to research commissioned by drains specialist Dyno.
In order to cope with the predicted surge in demand for plumbing services, the company has created dedicated teams to respond to a rise in callouts.
The Rush to Flush squads are intended to keep Britain's plumbing working while the international contest takes place, servicing pubs and homes up and down the country.
Figures from the study indicated there was a 25 per cent rise in blocked toilets during the England vs France game of the 2012 European Cup, with the average sports viewer going to the loo twice during a match.
"We here at Dyno predict the nation's rush to flush could send our plumbing and drains systems into overdrive up and down the country," declared senior engineer at the company Richard Swan.
Blocked toilets were found to be the third most common crisis in the home during a big game, just after TVs going wrong and kettles breaking down.
Energy networks will also be under pressure during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which runs from June 12th to July 13th, as Dyno claims a quarter of fans switch on the kettle at half time.
Dyno has produced a map of the UK identifying those areas that get blocked the most, topped by Fitzrovia in London and followed by Virginia Water, Southampton and Central Bristol, all in the south of England.
The company also revealed that seven per cent of people run out of toilet roll during a big event and 42 per cent of people have missed great sporting moments, such as a winning goal, as a result of a bathroom break.