Love Actually is Britain's favourite Christmas film

The romantic comedy that tells ten concurrent stories of love - many which are interlinked - in a fairytale London at Christmas stars some of the biggest names in British cinema including Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Martin Freeman, Colin Firth and Bill Nighy and was a smash-hit box office success earning almost $250 million worldwide.

Love Actually took 14 per cent of the vote narrowly beating 1946 Frank Capra classic It's A Wonderful Life, in which suicidal George Bailey (James Stewart) finds the strength to rebuild his life, into second place with 10 per cent.

In third place was another 2003 film (a good year for festive cinema, it appears) Will Ferrel vehicle Elf, which despite not being on British television anywhere this Christmas, was still considered by 8 per cent of readers to be the one film that they couldn't live without this Yule Tide.

The top five is completed by 1992 puppet/live action caper The Muppet Christmas Carol starring Michael Caine as Ebenezer Scrooge and 1990 John Hughes classic Home Alone that sees Macaulay Culkin's Kevin left to fend for himself at Christmas while Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern's villains attempt to break into his house.