Rachel Colbert spends her days going undercover, following criminals and cheating partners. The 30-year-old private investigator, who lives just outside Oxford, admits her job is exciting but has the unpleasant job of breaking the news to clients that their husbands have been seen out with other women.

Although most of her work involves chasing criminals, she has helped many aggrieved wives who have come to her for help. She charges £30 an hour.

Rachel said: "It's very sad because I have had clients in their forties who are high fliers and maybe that's part of the problem.

"They have dedicated their lives to their work and families and suddenly they come to a time in their lives when they start to relax, only to find their husband has run off with another woman.

"These clients are attractive, intelligent women," said Rachel, who lives with her partner, also a private investigator.

Rachel has been a private eye for ten years and sees more female clients than men, so she knows the signs which make women suspicious. "Women who suspect their partners are having an affair will come to me really early on because they need to know and want peace of mind.

"Ninety nine per cent of woman are right about their husbands having affairs. Things to watch out for include the partner coming home late without a great excuse, a lack of affection and sex life and mood swings because it's a complete imbalance of everything.

"If anyone suspects their partner is having an affair, they should get it sorted straight away," Rachel said.

Once a client meets Rachel, they have a chat and the woman tells Rachel what her fears are. Then Rachel needs to know the car the partner drives, the registration, a photo and where the partner works.

She said: "I think a woman makes a better private detective because people trust them more than men but there aren't many female private detectives around. "It's a weird profession because you never have a routine at all. At the end of the day it's money but there are so many cowboys in this business." Once Rachel has all the information she needs, she can start work. She said: "If there's something particular like the partner is having a weekend away and the client is suspicious, we will tail him from work.

"If the partner is going to a restaurant, I will go along with another person because it looks better - although no one suspects a woman anyway."

Rachel added: "We would have an undercover camera and when we go into the restaurant, we will find out where the partner is sitting so we can sit nearby and overhear as much as we can.

"It is really exciting. It can get difficult, though. One client of mine was having problems with her husband and although they are absolutely fine now, she contacted me but I knew him as well, so I felt quite bad.

"I think it's better for a woman to talk to a woman about something like this."

LONG DAYS IN THE CAR

Mike Randle spends his days sitting in cars or restaurants to catch husbands who are cheating on their wives.

And for £20 an hour, the 31-year-old private detective knows he has to get results quickly, and put the suspecting wives out of their misery before they run out of money. He says women are prepared to pay to be told their partners are cheating on them.

"It's the last resort and they don't know what to do or where to run. They already have so many suspicions and then they contact me. "I like to interview the client rather than speak to them on the phone. I always like to meet them face to face and if it's a woman, then we will meet in a public place like a pub or a service station.

He said: "If they can't afford to spend much, I will try to do the job in the minimum time," said Mike, who runs MJR Investigations in Thame.

"TI don't feel anything for the person I am following because I'm just doing my job, but the hard bit comes when I'm going back to the client and act as a counsellor, even though they expected the result.

"One man who contacted me because he thought his wife was having an affair, broke down in tears when I told him. "I stay and comfort them and then recommend people for them to talk to, because they may want a divorce," said Mike.

Some women will just take his word when he returns and tells her he saw her husband with another woman but others want more proof before they decide what to do.

"Sometimes they want photographs so if he's in a pub, I take some friends with me to make it look like we are having a party and I will get the client and his girlfriend in the background and pretend to take photos of my friends. He said: "The TV detectives are really glorified - a lot of the time I am sitting in a car and at the moment I have been working on one case for about three weeks. "If I'm doing a week's surveillance, I will charge a flat rate and not by the hour."

But despite making £20 an hour, Mike says he doesn't make a lot of money.

"I'm no millionaire and the job has its ups and downs. I have to get up at 4am sometimes to watch the husband leave a house and then I may have an evening job as well with nothing to do during the day, but fortunately my partner doesn't mind.

"However, if I have to follow someone to London and to Hamleys toy store, at least I get to look around the shop and I get to go to restaurants if I follow someone there."

ADRIAN TREW, of Adrian Trew Investigation Services in Sunningwell Village, Oxford, charges £20 an hour for his services. He said: "A lot of people are prepared to spend lots of money, if they suspect their husband is seeing someone else - they will pay to be told that."

"A lot of women have a good idea who the other person is but they don't necessarily know them. Many do the background digging themselves.

"Obviously the more information someone can give me, for example what the person looks like, will help because that will give me the groundwork."

DEAD GIVE-AWAYS

Do you already suspect your husband may be cheating on you? Keep an eye on him if: 1.Strange numbers keep appearing on your phone bill, especially if you phone it and a woman answers

2.He seems tiredIf your man seems tired all the time and uninterested in doing things with you

3.He's off to the gym more than usual

4.He's moody has mood swings (often brought on by guilt)

5.He suddenly has weekends away.

You can call the Association of British Investigators on 0181 546 7701, Rachel Colbert Investigations on 0802 416725, Mike Randle at MJR Investigations on 01844 216826, Adrian Trew Investigation Services on 01865 321025

TOP 5 SONGS

1. Private Investigation - Dire Straits

2. Girls on Film - Duran Duran

3. I Spy - Pulp

4. Every Breath You Take (I'll Be Watching You) - The Police

5. Life Thru A Lens - Robbie Williams

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.