Violent crime has risen in Burnley over the last year

Lancashire Constabulary recorded 4,440 incidents of violent crime in Burnley in the 12 months to September, according to the Office for National Statistics.

That was an increase of 3% compared to the previous year.

At 49.7 crimes per 1,000 people, that was far higher than the rate across England and Wales, which stood at 32.3.

One of the main factors behind the increase in Burnley was the rise in stalking and harassment, which rose by 23%, from 1,342 incidents to 1,644.

Around 5.8 million offences were recorded across England and Wales in the year to September – a 2% rise compared to the previous year – though there was a 1% drop to 4.9 million offences when excluding cases of fraud and computer misuse.

The total number of offences in Burnley increased by 1%, with police recording 10,627 crimes over the course of the year.

This puts the overall crime rate at 118.9 per 1,000 people, compared to a national average of 82.4.

Other crimes recorded in Burnley included:

348 sexual offences, a rise of 1%

2,787 theft offences, down 9%

1,445 incidents of criminal damage and arson, up slightly

262 drug offences, up 12%

111 possession of weapons such as firearms or knives, up 37%

928 public order offences, up 17%

Police forces across England and Wales logged the highest number of rapes and sexual offences in a 12-month period in the year to September, the figures show.

Around 63,100 rapes were recorded in the year to September, according to the Office for National Statistics, up 13% from the previous period (56,100).

This was the highest recorded annual figure to date and included 17,400 offences between July and September – the highest quarterly figure.

The ONS said the latest figures may reflect several factors, including the “impact of high-profile incidents, media coverage and campaigns on people’s willingness to report incidents to the police, as well as a potential increase in the number of victims”, and it urged caution when interpreting the data.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Nobody should have to experience the horror of rape and other sexual crimes.

“It’s encouraging that more victims of sexual violence are coming forward, and we’ve been clear that police must raise the bar in handling such cases so victims know that they will be taken seriously and criminals responsible are put behind bars."