NORTH-East men are shedding their slob image and are now just as likely to have a six pack stomach as a six pack of their favourite beer in the fridge.

The Male Grooming Survey, commissioned by men's magazine FHM, revealed that a staggering 95 per cent of British men under 40 think grooming can seriously "improve their appearance and their life".

Nationally, men spend an average of 34 minutes getting ready for work and 55 minutes before going out socially.

David Davies, editor of FHM, said: "Nowadays, if a man can't turn up to a meeting or a date looking well-groomed people tend to assume he can't do anything else either. I'm afraid the time is up for the nation's slobs."

In the North-East, 30 per cent of the men questioned said they had a "great body", compared with just 19 per cent nationally.

Seventy-eight per cent of the region's men say they have used a face scrub and 35 per cent have tried a face pack.

Men in the North-East are also the most likely to think plastic surgery is acceptable for men.

They are even venturing into the beauty salon and 12 per cent of those questioned said they had been to have their eyebrows shaped.

Jill Cheesmond, who runs the beauty salon at The Manor House Hotel, in West Auckland, has a growing list of regular male clients.

She said: "A lot of them come in the first time for just a massage, but after that they get a bit more adventurous. Some have facials or manicures and I've had a couple of customers who want their eyebrows tweezed.

"Last week, I had a group of air stewards in. They think nothing about having a St Tropez tan and manicure because in their jobs they have to look good."

Although Jill doesn't offer a shaving service at the salon, the Professional Shave products she stocks are bestsellers. She said: "It shows that men are taking a lot more care over the way they look, even if they're not prepared to visit the salon.

"But even if they do come in for a treatment, most of them are quite shy about it and they don't tell their friends what they've had done."