We're sorry to be the bearers of bad news on a sunny weekend, but if you're headed out tonight you might want to bear this in mind. 

Despite a million claims and old wives' tails to the contrary, there is only one proven way to prevent a hangover.

Drink less.

In a recent study, more than 800 students were asked how they tried to quell hangover symptoms, but neither food nor water intake was found to have any notable positive effect.

This puts paid to several theories about downing pints of water before bed or rushing to get the greasy food in the next day.

The findings of the study are set to be presented at a conference in Amsterdam.

And as for those people who claim they "never get a hangover"? They just never drink enough to develop one, according to research carried out on Canadian students.

Of those participants who drank heavily, considered to be an estimated blood alcohol concentration of more than 0.2%, none were perceived as "immune to hangovers".

Lead author Dr Joris Verster, from Utrecht University said: "The more you drink, the more likely you are to get a hangover. "Drinking water may help against thirst and a dry mouth, but it will not take away the misery, the headache and the nausea."