Forget the Monty Python sketch - accountants officially have 'the best job in the world' according to a survey by insurance company LV.

It asked 5,000 workers to rank their careers against the features judged most important in a job. Just 4% saw excitement as a must-have, while for 74% job security was top, with 60% going for a good salary and 59% rating reasonable working hours.

Researchers then asked workers on how their own jobs measured up to the ideal and found that of 60 professions, none scored more highly across the board than accountancy. Next on the list for best job came teachers, followed by engineers, charity workers and IT technicians.

Accountancy topped the poll for job security, training, salary in line with responsibility and opportunities to progress, while stress levels were seen as moderate compared with other careers. The survey also highlighted that accountants are also relatively well paid, with an average salary of over £38,000 - 44% higher than the UK average of around £26,000.

Mark Jones, head of LV Protection, said: 'It's clearly a reflection of the turbulent times we continue to live in that job security was voted by Britons as the single most important feature of a job.'