Phones are proving a hit with kids

NEARLY one in five eight-year-olds has their own smartphone, research suggests.

A survey of children aged eight to 15 years old found two-thirds have their own smartphone, rising from 19% of eight-year-olds to 95% of children aged 15.

Some 82% of parents surveyed said they foot the bill for their child’s phone, rather than their offspring having to pay out of their own money, according to the findings from the Halifax Pocket Money Survey.

And 40% of children claim they are allowed to download as many apps as they like – with mothers more likely to put a stop their children’s downloading habits than fathers.

More than 1200 children took part in the survey.