Despite the fact that the English have a reputation of keeping themselves to themselves, over 97% of us say we keep an eye out for suspicious behaviour around our neighbours property whilst they are away, according to Barclays Insurance Services research.

74% said they would call the police if they saw anyone acting suspiciously, and whilst 23% said they would choose to actually go further and intervene directly to help prevent crime, only 2% would turn a blind eye.

"We have some very brave neighbours who are have-a-go neighbourly heroes," said Adrian Grace, managing director of Barclays Insurance Services. "31% of men and 17% of women say they would intervene directly if they saw anyone acting suspiciously near their neighbour’s property. So it appears to be a modern myth that there is a lack of community spirit – we just don’t talk about it," he said.

Adrian cautions: "Whilst we certainly would not encourage people to put their safety at risk by dealing directly with suspicious behaviour, it is reassuring to know that people look out for each other without being asked."

"We would, however, encourage people to put aside that British reserve and let their neighbours know if they are going away so that they might be aware of any unknown visitors, and of course you should also make sure you have adequate insurance cover in case the worst should happen whilst you’re away. Don’t just rely on just your neighbours to keep an eye on your property."

When it comes to trusting someone with a set of keys to our home only a third of us would choose to give our keys to a neighbour, a whopping 69% would hand them over to someone we know better such as a friend or family member.

It looks like residents in the South West could be the most desirable neighbours, with 84% prepared to report suspicious behaviour to the police. The less active in comparison are those in the South East where only 66% would do the same.

Barclays offers five top tips to protect your home against crime by improving home security:

• Make sure exterior doors have deadbolts on them and windows have deadlocks.
• Never leave a spare set of house keys in a flower pot, behind a loose brick or under a doormat.
• Ask a trusted person to keep an eye on your home and to make it look lived in. Be prepared to return the favour.
• For when you are away make sure you remember to cancel milk or newspaper deliveries.
• Make sure your insurance is up to date and fully comprehensive so you’re covered should the worst happen.