IT is spring and at this time of year many of us are embarking on a spot of DIY or gardening.

But research from the latest Department for Education and Skills Get campaign has shown that millions of us may be wasting wallpaper and squandering seeds due to difficulties with basic literacy and numeracy.

The Get On campaign found that 29 per cent of all adults in England -- as many as 11million people -- cannot calculate the floor area of a room in feet or metres, even with a calculator, paper and pen, so could be buying too much or too little in DIY stores.

The news is no better for those planning on spending a quiet weekend in the garden, as more than 10 per cent of adults cannot correctly understand the instructions on a packet of seeds, and fewer than a third of us can calculate how much PVC we would need to line a pond. Top television DIY expert, 'Handy' Andy Kane of Changing Rooms fame, said: "Gardening and DIY can be relaxing and rewarding.

"But, as we all know, it can be really infuriating when things go wrong -- if you find that you've not got enough wallpaper for your hallway, or you've bought too much decking for the garden.

"For the millions of people in England who struggle with literacy and numeracy every day, this problem is all too familiar."

For more information call 0800 100 900 and to find out more about enrolling on a free course to improve their skills.

Steve Palmer, executive director of the Learning & Skills Council Lancashire said: "The need to improve the nation's basic skills is becoming more urgent as time goes by."