Last Updated: 6:33PM BST 09 Apr 2009

The number of reported cases of lasers being maliciously directed at planes and helicopters rose from just 29 in 2007 to 206 last year, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said.

Many of the incidents last year involved commercial airliners flying in to UK airports. 

Areas reporting a high number of incidents included Liverpool, Manchester, Cardiff and Edinburgh and now the CAA has joined forces with police and Government departments to track down the culprits.

There have already been a number of successful prosecutions in the UK with offenders receiving custodial sentences, and the new campaign aims to highlight the penalties that they face.

Spearheading the campaign is a new device - currently being rolled-out among police forces around the country - that can pinpoint the exact location of where a laser beam originates. A photograph can also be taken for use in court.

Bob Jones, head of flight operations at the CAA, said: "To those individuals targeting aircraft with laser devices the message is clear - don't. You will be caught and you will be prosecuted and you could spend up to five years in prison.

"We strongly urge anyone who sees a laser being used against aircraft in their local area to contact the police immediately. These things are not toys. They pose a serious risk to all flight safety."