More than one in four British consumers now owns a tablet computer, with advertisers spending a record £6.3 billion last year to reach people online, according to latest figures.

Some 36% of those accessing the internet do so via tablets, with UK ownership of the gadgets growing 63% year-on-year to 17.9 million in February, according to the Internet Advertising Bureau UK Digital Adspend report and online audience company UKOM/ComScore.

Almost six in 10 tablet owners (57%) say it is their "go-to" device to surf the web at home, while 66% say it is easier to go online using a tablet.

Almost two-thirds (65%) like to use them while watching TV.

The report shows that advertising on the internet and mobile phones increased by 15.2% or £853 million to £6.3 billion last year.

Investment in mobile advertising grew by 93% to £1.03bn last year, with mobile accounting for 16% of digital advertising spending.