SOUTHAMPTON PR firm Carswell Gould has come up with the Date Escape - a phone app designed to help you escape from the date from hell.

Here the Daily Echo brings you eight excuses that might help you on your next dud date.

1. The Ex

Talk incessantly about an ex-partner. Tell your date about how fantastic your ex was, how you still sniff your pillow at night to smell them and dream of the children you should have had.

2. The boss

Blame it on your boss. Pretend you've just got a text message from your boss who needs you to urgently send some reports to Tokyo/change a tyre/stack some shelves. This may not work if you've already told your date you work a strict 9-to-5 rota.

3. The doppelganger

Tell your date how much they remind you of the person who dumped you last week - because you were too intense for them.

4. The dog

"Oh my God, I left the dog locked outside". Any animal lover would understand and let you run home.

5. Fake allergy

It makes no end what you are eating. Take a few mouthfuls, and then start coughing gently. The longer you cough, the louder the coughing gets. Blame it on your allergy to nuts/potatoes/alcohol which you forgot about.

6. Popularity

Ask if you can hurrry up the date as you have another one straight away afterwards.

7. The Mum

Pretend your mum has called you. It's rude enough answering the call, but then precede to have a 'discreet' conversation with your fake parent about your date's qualities - or lack of them.

8. Be honest

It may seem like the hardest thing to do, but it the long run it's probably best to just suck it up and be truthful. They'll thank you for it in the end.

Can you come up with better excuses? Send them to newsdesk@dailyecho.co.uk or leave a comment below.

Main image from Online For Love