AN average of almost five spiking incidents were reported to police per day towards the end of last year - and children were among the victims.

The new figures, released by West Yorkshire Police, shows 368 crimes were recorded between the beginning of October and December 20 - 149 in October; 128 in November and 91 in December. 

The majority were spiking via drink, while more than 70 per cent of victims were females. 

The data also shows the worryingly young age of those affected - one victim was an 11-year-old girl.

Others included a 14-year-old girl as well as two boys aged 15 and 16. 

Such was the concern over spiking that the Home Affairs Committee launched an inquiry into its prevalence; the forms it can take; the impact it has had on victims as well as the response from police and others.

Last month, victims told the committee how they suffered memory blanks, lost control of their bodies and were “violently ill” after they were targeted in bars and clubs.

Witnesses suggested an anonymous online reporting system could have helped them feel comfortable enough to come forward and report their experiences to provide police with figures to show its prevalence.

Helena Conibear, chief executive of the Alcohol Education Trust, said surveys suggest between 11 per cent and 15 per cent of females and six to seven per cent of males have been spiked.

She said: “It can be any drink, in pretty much any location, and it can happen to any person… We can all be victims. The shame and social embarrassment came up very, very strongly.

“Memory loss, blanks and not really being able to remember what happened and that trauma leading to a time lag before they’re prepared to report to anybody, is also a huge barrier.”

West Yorkshire Police said the issue of spiking is one which it has been "alive to, recording and investigating for a number of years now".

A spokesperson said offending can take place in a "wide variety of scenarios" and added: "This kind of offending in the night-time economy has of course come to prominence as part of the wider debate around violence against women.

"All offences of spiking that have been reported are recorded as a crime in line with the force’s crime recording policy and then investigated."

The spokesperson said the force works closely with other agencies to better understand offending.