Submitted by Mike Grenville on Mon, 16 Feb 2004 11:34

Figures are still being counted but initial estimates are that 85 million were sent in the UK on Valentine's Day - 25 million up on a typical day and twice the number of cards.

The Post Office says that 13 million cards were sent making text message the clear medium of choice for messages of lurve.

According to MDA figures in 2003 there were 78 million text messages sent on Valentine's Day in the UK

In Australia Valentine's Day predictions more than 19 million messages will be sent. In 2003, nearly 14 million text messages were sent on Valentine's Day, compared with 680,000 Hallmark cards.

"For men, it's really changed the face of the way they date", said David Croucher, marketing manager for Siemens. "It's easier for them and they can be a bit more bold."

Three per cent of Australians also admit to sending messages to wrong numbers in the hope of meeting someone new!

However in Malaysia an intimate Valentine’s Day text message sent to a wrong number nearly caused a divorce for a two-month-old marriage.

The husband was driving so he asked his wife to retrieve the message, which read: “Darling, I really miss you, always thinking of you even when you are not here tonight beside me in the bed, I am waiting, lots and kisses and hugs - Jane.”

The wife demanded her husband stop the car, accused him of infidelity and left for her parents’ home in a taxi. She refused to take his calls and his father-in-law later told him she would be filing for a divorce.

Twelve hours later the sender of the message was traced and she called the wife with an explanation that it was in fact a wrong number and sent to her husband who was away on a business trip!