UK carbon dioxide emissions have fallen to their lowest level since the days of Jack the Ripper in the 19th century, a report has revealed.

Emissions dropped by around 1.5% to 361 million tonnes in 2018 - a level last seen in 1888 when the first Football League match was played and when Victorian Britain lived in fear of a serial killer stalking London's streets.

However this excludes years with major strike action, according to the report by energy and climate website Carbon Brief.

The amount of carbon pollution per person (5.4 tonnes) was also the lowest it has been since 1858, the report found.

Carbon Brief suggested the reduction in emissions was down to less coal being used to generate power.


Only 6% of UK electricity supplies came from coal in 2018, according to the Business and Energy Department.

But while rates of coal use are coming down, the researchers found little change in oil or gas use.

Electricity coming from renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, rose to a record high of 33% in 2018.

It means the UK's emissions are down for a the sixth year in a row, the longest run of reductions on record.

However last year's fall was the smallest since the run started in 2013, suggesting it may be coming to an end.

Image: Emissions are at their lowest level in the UK since the days of Jack the Ripper

Simon Evans, author of the report at Carbon Brief, said: "This is the longest stretch of consecutive years with falling emissions.

"The UK's emissions reductions are being flattered by reductions in the use of coal, but other sectors aren't going in the same direction."