Patrick Swayze films Ghost and Dirty Dancing have taken the top two positions in a poll of romantic movies for Valentine’s Day.

Ghost, in which Swayze stars alongside Demi Moore as he plays a young stockbroker who is killed, came out on top with 8.7% of the vote, pipping 1960s-set feelgood film Dirty Dancing, which received 8.4%.

Swayze has been battling pancreatic cancer for the last year and last month he spent a week in hospital after contracting pneumonia.

In previous years, films such as Romeo And Juliet, which came top in 2008, and Casablanca, have tended to dominate in the poll by hmv.com.

This year Romeo And Juliet was at number seven and Casablanca slipped from second place last year to 18.

The annual survey of the top 50 romantic movies took place on retailer HMV’s website during a four-week period from January 12, with more than 25,000 votes cast.

The Notebook jumped more than 30 places from its position last year to come third.

Titanic, starring woman of the moment Kate Winslet, achieved another top-five finish, as did Julia Roberts’ Pretty Woman for the first time.

Top 20 romantic films

1. (10) Ghost (1990) — 8.7%

2. (5) Dirty Dancing (1987) — 8.4%

3. (34) The Notebook (2004) — 7.8%

4. (4) Titanic (1997) — 6.8%

5. (9) Pretty Woman (1990) — 6.3%

6. (11) Love Actually (2003) — 6.1%

7. (1) Romeo and Juliet (1996) — 4.6%

8. (15) An Officer And A Gentleman (1982) — 3.3%

9. (6) Moulin Rouge (2001) — 3.2%

10. (25) Amelie (2001) — 3.0%

11. (3) Sleepless In Seattle (1993) — 2.6%

12. (14) Notting Hill (1999) — 2.5%

13. (12) Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961) — 2.4%

14. (24) Pride And Prejudice (2005) — 2.2%

15. (16) Gone With The Wind (1939) — 2.0%

16. (8) Brief Encounter (1945) — 1.8%

17. (26) Four Weddings And A Funeral (1994) — 1.7%

18. (2) Casablanca (1942) – 1.7%

19. (7) When Harry Met Sally (1989) — 1.5%

20. (new) Mamma Mia (2008) — 1.5%