Using eagles to intercept drones could be a possibility to help solve crime, the Metropolitan Police have announced.

Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan Howe told the Met how he was impressed with the birds' skills after seeing the Dutch police initiative take off.

The Netherlands trial is aiming to tackle crimes related to drones, the pilot-less aircrafts which can be controlled by a remote, by training the eagles to treat them as prey.

A Met Police spokesman said: "As would be expected in an organisation that is transforming, we take an interest in all innovative new ideas and will of course be looking at the work of the Dutch police use of eagles."

In the last five months of 2015, the Ministry of Justice reported nine attempts of drones being used to smuggle goods into prisons, including mobile phones, drugs and SIM cards.

In a statement issued by the Guard from Above company, who train eagles and have worked alongside the Dutch police, said: "The animal instinct of a bird of prey is unique.

"They are made to be able to overpower fast-moving prey.

"Sometimes the solution to a hyper-modern problem is more obvious than you might think."

Concerns have been raised by conservationists over the safety of the bald eagles, as the flying device can have blades as part of the mechanism by.

But ornithologist Geoff LeBaron, director of Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count, said: "I suspect they can see exactly where the rotors are better than we could.

"And even if they did make contact with a rotor, it would be unlikely to do any real damage - at least, for most commercially available drones, which tend to be relatively lightweight.

"More importantly, evidence indicates that wild birds treat drones as they would any other flying critter, be it a meal or competitor.

"Their instinct is to strike these things in the center of the body."

Drones have also wreaked havoc at airports and 2014 saw a passenger plane on its final approach into Heathrow Airport nearly collide with a controllable drone.