A toasted sandwich maker is celebrating its 40th birthday.

Breville, who sold its first sandwich maker four decades ago, enjoyed record sales of the staple kitchen gadget last year with sales up 20% over the past two years.

More than four in five Britons are "still smitten" with the classic dish, while almost a fifth admit to eating one or more toasted sandwiches a day, according to a poll.

The survey found that ham and cheese is the nation's favourite filling, with 47 per cent of the vote, followed by cheese and onion (37 per cent).

Leek and blue cheese scraped into the top 40 with three per cent of the vote, along with pesto and tuna.

Dick Johnson, the author of Tried And Toasted - The Definitive Guide To Toasties, said: "It's easy to see why we, as a nation, still love the toasted sandwich.

"There are so many varieties available and it's this versatility that makes them such a favourite."

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