NORTH Yorkshire Police recorded 19 reports of incidents involving drones last year.

The figure was far higher in Humberside as new figures show forces around the country have been inundated with reports about drones after a dramatic surge in incidents sparked by the devices.

The flying gadgets are at the centre of thousands of episodes registered by forces, including rows between neighbours, prison smuggling, burglary "scoping" exercises, mid-air near misses and snooping fears.

Figures obtained by the Press Association show the number of incidents logged by police around the country rocketed between 2014 and 2016.

Last year, forces recorded 3,456 incidents - nearly 10 every day. This was almost triple the 2015 figure of 1,237 and more than 12 times the 2014 tally of 283.

North Yorkshire Police did not record any drone-related incidents in 2014, with just four in 2015, but this then rose to 19 last year.

In comparison, Humberside Police received five reports in 2014, rising to 21 the following year, and 53 in 2016.

Sussex Police recorded the highest number last year, with 240, followed by Greater Manchester at 225.

The findings, based on Freedom of Information requests, coincide with a jump in the popularity of the remote-controlled devices.

Available for as little as £30 and often boasting built-in cameras, sales of the gadgets have risen sharply in recent years.

Police forces in the UK were asked for data on incidents they recorded involving drones in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

There were consecutive year-on-year rises in most areas and in some cases the tallies soared from only a handful to three-figure totals.

Records of incidents provided by some constabularies reveal the devices are at the centre of a wide range of reports, including disputes between neighbours, nuisance drones - in one case a man threatened to shoot down an "annoying" drone with an air rifle, and prison smuggling. In a number of cases, members of the public contacted their local force to raise concerns that drones were being used for snooping, while forces registered several instances of drones being spotted near aircraft. In one incident, two separate flight pilots reported coming close to colliding with a large drone.

Criminals are also suspected of using drones to "scope out" properties ahead of break-ins. In one case, a burglary was reported after a drone was seen hovering over houses, while in others residents contacted police to report suspicions.

Drone users must follow restrictions on flying them near crowds, people and built-up areas.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Barry, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead for drones, said: "As awareness of what drones are and what they can do continues to grow, police forces have seen increases in concerns and reports by the public.

"We have to balance the growth of this technology by ensuring that the public are aware of the strong regulatory framework and detailed user guidance that is available relating to drone use."

Ministers are considering a number of additional safety measures, including mandatory registration of new drones.