Cuddling? There's an app for that

It's the app looking to replace modern hook-up culture one hug at a time.

Cuddlr, recently released on the iTunes store, lets people jump online with their facebook profile to look for a suitable snuggling partner, Salon has reported.

But if you're looking for something more, be warned - the app does not allow users to state their age or gender, which ensures it is only used by people out for genuine, platonic cuddles.

However, users can choose their own name and upload a photo to narrow things down.

And people with bad breath, scratchy beards or particularly sharp elbows are also on notice, as the app allows cuddlers to give ratings to their partners.

Co-creator Charlie Williams said while the app was originally conceived as a joke, he and designer Jeff Kulak soon realised it would fill a gap in the market.

"We don't get enough touch in our daily lives," he said.

"I think as a culture we're ready to consider cuddling as more than just something that happens before or after sex, but as something worth pursuing in its own right."

However, he admitted he knew people might use Cuddlr as a test to see if they might want something more.

"What we state in the app’s 'Rules of the Road' is that you wait until the end of the cuddle, ask nicely, and be prepared to take either 'yes' or 'no' as an answer," he advised.