More than a quarter of a million residents in the region will leave the UK if there was a chocolate ban, a study has revealed.

Chocoholics in the south west would go to almost any lengths to get their hands on a bar of chocolate, including flouting the law if they had to, according to a new British Heart Foundation (BHF) survey.

The figures show that 820,000 chocolate lovers (18 per cent of the population) in the region would be willing to break the law if there was a ban or ration on chocolate by importing chocolate illegally or buying it off the black market.

Around 280,000 (six per cent of the population) say they would leave the country for good.

The figures, unveiled as part of the charity’s Dechox campaign, highlight the UK’s obsession with cocoa.

More than a third (34 per cent) of people claim that nothing would make a ban on chocolate acceptable, even saving the planet.

A fifth (20 per cent) revealed if a complete ban was imposed, they couldn’t cope for more than two days without their cocoa fix, while around 600,000 people (13 per cent) said they would pay more than £20 for a small chocolate bar if it was a heavily rationed.

The region’s chocolate passion is clear to see, with a fifth of adults (17 per cent) indulging in chocolate 2‐3 times a week.

But such is the region's chocolate obsession that even eating it isn’t enough.

A third (33 per cent) of residents in the south west admit to watching a chocolate bar advert to get our fix and a third (32 per cent) confess to watching other people eat chocolate to satisfy their cravings.

For many, their chocolate obsession is a source of secrecy, with over two fifths (43 per cent) of people admitting to hiding their chocolate at home away from prying eyes.

Furthermore, two in five people in the south west (40 per cent) have waited until a partner, family member or friend has left the room before eating chocolate and a third (33 per cent) have hidden chocolate wrappers to disguise how much they’ve eaten.

Unbelievably, a quarter of people would find it easier to give up social media (25 per cent) or Netflix (28 per cent) than chocolate and one in ten (11 per cent) confessed they would find it easier to give up seeing their friends.

The BHF is urging the UK’s choccy fanatics to put their will power to the test by giving up chocolate and getting sponsored for the month of February to raise money for life saving research into heart and circulatory disease. Anything with cocoa in it is off limits ‐ from the sprinkles on your cappuccino, to that 3pm chocolate bar.

Dan Field, Head of Dechox at the British Heart Foundation, said: “It’s no surprise to learn that we’re a nation of chocolate lovers but it was startling to see the law-breaking lengths people in the South West will go to get their chocolate fix.

“Dechox is the perfect challenge for chocoholics up and down the UK to put their will power to the test. It’s important to remember that Dechox is a bit of fun but it could be a great way to help cut your chocolate cravings and fund the British Heart Foundation’s vital research into heart and circulatory conditions, which affects around 650,000 people in the south west.”

Send chocolate packing and challenge yourself to a Dechox this February. Give up chocolate for a month, and raise funds for our life saving research. Find out more at: www.bhf.org.uk/dechox