Britons who have second homes have been advised to ensure that adequate security measures and home contents insurance are in place as new research reveals that they leave more than £6.3bn of personal property unattended in holiday homes.

A survey by Zurich Private Clients has revealed that British homeowners leave more than £100,000 of belongings inside their second homes when unattended.

Nick Brabham of Zurich Private Clients said: "There has been a steady rise in the number of customers with second homes, either in the UK or abroad. While we're using them, we often let our guard down...but we need to ensure that we don't compromise on security or cover, leaving our property vulnerable and hundreds of pounds of our possessions at risk."

The survey of 1,000 second homeowners found that 48 per cent have window locks fitted on their holiday home, and only one in five have had a burglar alarm installed.