Some 95 incidents were covered in the report (including military near misses) and 56 were found to have involved no risk of collision.

BBC: Jet in near miss mid-air collision

"Passenger safety was at no time compromised, and there was no question of collision, but the incident has been reported as a matter of course by NATS to the Civil Aviation Authority for investigation, " he said.

BBC: Alert over planes flying too close

"As in 1998, more than three-quarters of the civil air transport incidents reported in the first half of 1999 were assessed as involving no risk of collision, " said Gordon McRobbie, director of the UK Airprox Board.

BBC: Jet in near miss mid-air collision