Four in 10 parents have been too ashamed to give someone a lift – because their kids have left their car in a mess.

Crisp crumbs (65 per cent), spilt drinks (60 per cent), and bits of biscuit (55 per cent) are the most common forms of mess in parents’ cars.

The shame of mess has resulted in 41 per cent not giving people lifts, while nine per cent have avoided parking their vehicle at work.

And nine per cent have been so embarrassed by the interior of their car they’ve parked it away from…