Public support for fracking in the UK has fallen.

That’s according to a survey from DECC which asked more than 2,100 people about shale gas exploration.

Only 19% of people said they back fracking compared to 31% who oppose it.

The survey also found 42% of Brits admitted they know “a little” about fracking.

Around 20% of them said they don’t really know what the technique is even though three quarters of them said they were aware of fracking.

Half of them neither supported nor opposed the controversial technique of extracting shale gas while 4% said they didn’t know due to a lack of knowledge.

Among those who said they were neutral about fracking, 67% stated it was because they didn’t know enough about it while 12% admitted they never heard of it and 10% were still making up their minds.

However support for renewable energy “has been consistently high”, with the latest survey revealing 81% backed the use of renewables.

Opposition was very low at 4%, with only 2% “strongly opposed”.

Nearly eight in 10 agreed renewable energy developments should provide direct benefits to communities in which they are located (77%) while 70% agreed renewable industries and developments provide economic benefits to the UK.

Around 56% said they would be happy to have a large scale renewable development in their own area.