Children in Britain have turned their backs on laptops and desk-bound computers and are instead asking their parents for tablet computers such as the i-pad.

Latest figures from the regulator Ofcom show that 26% of children between the ages of 12 and 15 now own a tablet – up from seven per cent in 2012.

Ofcom say that tablets have become a ‘must have device’ for children of all ages.

Schools up and down the country, including Primary Schools, have started issuing their pupils with tablet computers to help them with lessons and learning.

Meanwhile, there are 43% of youngsters aged five to 15 who own a mobile phone – a lot of them smartphones.

However, interestingly that figure is down for the first time, having been 49% in 2012.

Ofcom’s findings continue to show that the next generation are getting even more tech savvy – and not long after getting out of nappies!

Indeed, one of the figures released by Ofcom show that 28% of infants between the ages of three and four now use a tablet computer at home!