BLACKBURN MP Jack Straw has revealed how he unwinds – by ironing his shirts.

But it appears it is not only the former Justice Secretary that has a secret passion for what’s traditionally been regarded as a female chore — surveys show 62 per cent of men under 30 say they actually prefer ironing to car maintenance.

“I find ironing relaxing,” admitted the former Foreign Secretary.

“I like to do it while watching the football, I find that it helps matrimonial harmony.

“There is something very satisfying about ironing a shirt.

”Most of the clothes that I iron are my own but that is usually because I am away quite a lot.

“But when I’m back home I iron my wife’s clothes as well.”

And some women admit that their male partners are actually better at getting out the stubborn creases than they are.

Julie Worthington who has run Lasting Impressions Ironing Services in Burnley alongside her husband Neil for 10 years, says that men have a natural knack for the chore.

She said: “Neil can iron a shirt in three minutes and get all the creases out. Men iron very well when they try. It’s great because we share the ironing in our house.”

Neil who gave up working at Nat West bank to iron full time added, “I have always found ironing quite relaxing. I do about six hours a day, I usually stick on the telly while I’m doing it and enjoy it.

“I also do the collection and deliveries, I don’t think most of the people actually realise that I actually iron as well.

“Some of my mates gave me stick when I told them what I do but now they just ask me to do their ironing for them.”

Women are turning more and more to the professionals to get the ironing done.

“We find that most of our clients are women,” said Sharon Freeman, who has worked for Full Steam Ahead in Rawtenstall for six years.

She added: “I would say about 70 per cent of our customers are women.

“A lot who come in don’t tell their husbands that they come here, they just pretend that they do it themselves.

“They say they have enough to do without doing the ironing.”

Cricketer Kamran Younas, 25, Whalley’s current professional, said he always does the ironing at home.

Wife Rukhshanda said: “Kamran does the ironing, he’s just better at it than me and I just see it as another household job.”

Kamran added: “It can be quite therapeutic because you can concentrate on that and nothing else.”