A TEAM of Scottish geeks have carried out new research which reveals that one in five people would prefer to live in a virtual reality(VR) world to escape the nightmare of Brexit and Trump.

A survey of 1,000 people across the UK, carried out by OnePoll and commissioned by Glasgow-based Geekzonia, a free social, entertainment VR platform, aimed at tech enthusiasts, showed that 17 per cent would prefer to be living in a virtual world to their existing reality with 22 per cent citing Brexit and Trump as reasoning for wanting to live in a virtual universe.

Other drivers for preferring to live in an alternative dimension include 46 per cent wanting to visit extraordinary places such as Mars, Gotham City and Mordor and 33 per cent keen to meet favourite fictional characters such as Superman, The Hulk and Captain America.

The poll, which looked at the level of interest people have in escaping reality for a virtual realm, also examined how they would develop their avatar, a person’s representation of themselves as they wish to be perceived by others users, to represent them in this alternative dimension.

The results revealed that body confidence transcends into the virtual world, with the majority of respondents admitting they would make their VR avatar look like themselves but only better looking.

“It’s no surprise that people are experiencing a sudden desire to live in a virtual universe,” said Geekzonia CEO Peter Dobson. “Virtual reality has the potential to make people feel invincible but also allows them to meet other like-minded people from around the world without needing to leave the house. The level of connectivity and surreal experiences virtual reality enables us is thrilling and gives us the opportunity to escape some of today’s harsh realities.”