Pokemon Go: Police issue warning to not 'Pokemon and drive'

'Always be aware of people who may be watching you to steal your phone or Charmander,' says Richmond Police

(File Photo) RAC has reported a sharp increase in road accidents following the release of Pokemon GO (EPA)

Police have issued a warning to fans of Pokemon Go to be careful as they try to "catch em all" and not "Pokemon and drive".

Richmond Police in south-west London issued its pun-laden warning, telling gamers their police station was not a "poke stop" to catch and train Pokemon.

The force told enthusiasts: "Always be aware of your surroundings. That Pikachu will not expect you to run in the road, and Squirtle won't want you to swim in the Thames.

"Don't be a Drowzee and walk around with your head in a daze - always be aware of people who may be watching you to steal your phone or Charmander.

"Don't pokemon and drive. That egg won't hatch if you're driving. Remember it's onyx-acceptable and if you're caught - you risk a £100 fine and 3 points on your licence."

While humour was involved, there are genuine fears the smartphone game could cause a spike in road accidents nationwide.

RAC spokesman, Pete Williams said: "The Pokemon Go revolution could take the illegal use of hand-held mobile phones at the wheel to another level.

"It has to be ‘Pokemon no-Go’ when driving but it is just as important that pedestrians don’t get caught in the Pokemon mist and find themselves stepping into the path of danger.

"It is critical that drivers are not tempted to have the app running on their mobile phone when driving."

Many of the game's biggest fans are children with charities criticising the game developers for not taking on board "well documented child safety concerns", Mirror reports.

NSPCC released a statement saying: "It’s deeply troubling that the app’s owners have ignored many warning signals and well documented child safety concerns.

"It would have been better if they had taken time to reflect on these and put their young users first.

"Pokemon Go is setting a precedent as the most successful reality game app on the market. It’s very disappointing that child safety isn’t at its heart."

While the game has only just officially launched in the UK, British people have been able to play on the app since it launched in the US by altering their phone settings.

While the exact figure is unknown, mobile provider EE has revealed more than 350,000 people on its network alone have already been using the app.

As a result of the Pokemon Go's runaway global success, developer Nintendo's share price has risen by 50 per cent over the last week.