Traditional pastimes such as reading and board games are being increasingly shunned in favour of modern alternatives, a new study has found.

Eastern Daily Press: A person reading kindle. Photo: Sandy Young/PA WireA person reading kindle. Photo: Sandy Young/PA Wire

Latest research has suggested that one in ten UK households does not possess any books.

The data, published in Aviva's Home Report, revealed that this figure drops to one in five in homes where inhabitants are aged between 18 and 24.

Comparatively, research published in March 2015 to coincide with World Book Day found that the average homeowner had 158 books inside their property, with more than one in two people keeping books because they felt emotionally attached to them

16pc also admitted to owning books as it made them look more intelligent.

As well as books, many homes lack traditional forms of entertainment such as board games, dominoes and decks of playing cards.

In 2006, 25pc of houses had no board games, 44pc were without dominoes and 21pc did not have cards, whereas in 2016 these figures rose to 34pc, 54pc and 27pc respectively.

Instead of these pastimes, people are choosing to spend their time using an abundance of internet-enabled devices, such as phones, smart TVs and laptops, with the average UK house believed to contain 8.2 electronic items.

This figure rises to 10.9 in homes with children and, according to the study, the items are often used as a form of punishment, with more than a third of people admitting they have turned off one of their child's devices when they misbehave.

Lindsey Rix, of Aviva UK General Insurance, said: 'It is clear from our research that our possessions are changing as the world advances, with traditional pastimes often making way for modern alternatives.

'Everyone's home is individual to them and there's no right or wrong when it comes to what people keep in them.'

• How many books do you own and what do you think of the new findings? Let us know in the comments below.