BRITS have revealed some of their weirdest and wackiest fears, including bubble wrap, unvarnished wood – and even the sound of an ice cream van screeching.

A survey of 2,000 adults found that a quarter admit to having an unusual fear, scared of things like cotton wool, hangers and cacti.

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Another unusual fear is tryopophobia – where people have an aversion to objects that have a repeating pattern, such as honeycombs or sponges.

Some can’t stand the thought of sauces, such as tomato ketchup or mayonnaise, or using public toilets, according to research by Virgin Red.

Despite the fact that some Brits have extremely unusual fears – the most common fear in the UK is that of heights (35%).

To help tackle the UK’s biggest fear, Virgin Red launched a competition to encourage people to face their fears and do things that scare them.

TV presenter Helen Skelton took on the task which saw her canoe along the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, which is the longest and highest aqueduct in Britain.

A spokesman for the rewards group, which commissioned the research, said: “Fear can get in the way of amazing experiences, sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason behind it, but it’s important that people address what makes them he gets scared from time to time.

“We’re encouraging Brits to put their fear of heights behind them to create memories that will last forever.

“By entering the ‘Paddle Partners’ competition, we’re giving someone the chance to conquer their fear by paddling along the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. If you can get past that, you’ve really conquered your fears.”

Almost two-thirds (65 percent) of respondents admitted they know their fears are completely irrational — and 61 percent said it’s important to get out of their comfort zone.

And 87% say they are trying to tackle what scares them – while 41% have even overcome their previous fears.

Among the top emotions felt by those who fought fear included relief (53 percent), feeling like a better version of themselves (35 percent), and a sense of adventure (25 percent).

Of all those surveyed, 40 percent felt that being with someone else was the best way to get over it, followed closely by being inspired to look at someone else (32 percent).

Exactly 30 percent of adults have helped family and friends overcome scary obstacles in the past by encouraging them (55 percent) and talking to them (44 percent) about best practices, OnePoll research found.

A Virgin Red spokesman added: “There’s no right or wrong way to tackle what’s holding you back, but strong encouragement can go a long way.”

“Once you overcome the barriers that prevent you from facing your fears, you can unlock unbeatable experiences.”

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