A West Kirby supermarket is handing out sprigs of free mistletoe to its shoppers in a bid to get the town kissing this festive season.

Morrisons on Dee Lane has found kissing under the mistletoe could become extinct as new research reveals younger generations are shunning the tradition.

More than 70% of UK adults aged under 35 have never experienced the custom of a kiss under the mistletoe, compared to 38% of over-55s.

Morrisons is one of the nation’s biggest retailers of the seasonal sprig.

The retailer is hoping to turn around the trend by giving away mistletoe in all of its stores to sprinkle a little Christmas magic.

Jason Nicholson, store general manager at West Kirby, said: “Kissing under the mistletoe is possibly the oldest Christmas tradition we have in Britain - it dates back over 2,000 years.

"It would be a shame to see it become a thing of past so we will be giving mistletoe to customers who look in need of a magical Christmas kiss.”

Showing one of the biggest declines of all British Christmas traditions, last year only one in seven (14%) UK adults kissed someone under the mistletoe, compared with 74% who sent Christmas cards and 61% who ate a mince pie.

Other traditions falling out of favour amongst Brits last year were carol singing – only 9% enjoyed a traditional Christmas croon in 2014 – and Christmas pudding – only 13% of the nation served up the traditional dish, whilst fewer than one in ten (8%) actually made one.

Top five female celebs Brits most want to kiss under the mistletoe:

Kelly Brook

Jennifer Lawrence

Taylor Swift

Rita Ora

Michelle Keegan

Top five male celebs:

David Beckham

George Clooney

 Brad Pitt

Prince Harry 

Channing Tatum