New research has uncovered a disconnect between parents' understanding of their children's online activity and what the youngsters are actually doing on the internet.

The Mobile Life report by Carphone Warehouse found that 87 per cent of UK parents believe they are fully aware of the content their children access online.

Roughly the same percentage are confident that their children do not access anything of which their parents would disapprove.

And nearly two thirds of parents believe that controls are not necessary to restrict their children's online usage.

While most parents have not checked their children's online history, a quarter of those who have viewed the logs found something of concern, and one in 10 confirmed that their children have reported worrying online incidents.

The report also found that half of UK children aged between 11 and 18 lie to their parents about what they are doing online. One in three admitted that they would be in trouble if their parents knew what they were looking at on the internet.

Unfortunately 14 per cent admitted to having found themselves in an uncomfortable situation online.

Just over a quarter of young people have interacted with strangers online, and one in 10 have actually met someone in person that they originally encountered online.

Despite the concerns about online safety, it seems that the majority of parents believe that the internet has vastly improved their lives, and that having the internet at home is as essential as having a fridge or cooker.

"I think the key is for parents to treat the issue of online safety in the same way that they would approach other potential danger areas," said Dr Tanya Byron, a clinical psychologist and contributor to the Mobile Life report.

"Would you let your children learn how to cross the road via trial and error? No, you teach them the Green Cross Code.

"Now, with the increasing importance of wireless technology and the role it plays in our children's lives, we must all learn and teach the Online Safety Code."