The Flow FL-100 device targets the area of the brain linked with low activity in people with the illness and boosts their chances of beating the condition by being used for 30 minutes at a time.

The headset stimulates the brain using electronic pulses and boffins at King's College London have found that it relieves all symptoms of depression in over half of patients (57.5 per cent) in just 10 weeks.

Allan Young, director of the centre for Affective Disorders at the university, said: "These results are very exciting and are poised to have a significant impact on the future treatment of depression.

"Major depression is undertreated throughout the world, and the current treatment modalities have significant limitations.

"This trial shows that this treatment is both effective and well tolerated, giving patients who are currently struggling to find options that work for them a vital new alternative."