Young people are much more in favour of renewables than fracking for shale, a poll suggests.

The survey revealed that 18 to 24-year-olds who were aware of fracking wanted the Government to develop other sources of energy in the UK, with 44 per cent backing solar energy as one of the technologies they most favoured, with 41 per cent for wind and 38 per cent for tidal power. Shale gas from fracking was a favoured top energy source for just 10 per cent of those questioned, above conventional gas on 2 per cent, the poll by YouGov found.

Asked which type of energy they were least in favour of, young people put shale gas top of the list, with 45 per cent labelling it one of the most undesirable sources of power.