VIOLENT crimes in Cheshire have increased by 28 per cent in the past year, the latest police figures have revealed.

The data has been uncovered just days after chief inspector Brian Roberts described Cheshire as 'one of the safest places to live'.

From April 2015 to March 2016 there were 8,301 violent incidents reported compared to 6,480 12 months earlier.

There were 6,733 reports of assault with injury and racially or religiously aggravated assault with injury in the past 12 months – an increase of 31 per cent.

Knife crimes, which include broken bottles and glass, also saw a 14 per cent increase in 2015 to 2016, with 245 reports compared 209 in 2014 to 2015.

Chief insp Roberts said the rise could be down to the increased number of ways victims can report crimes.

He said: “Violent crime has been on the increase nationally for a number of years albeit Cheshire has seen a smaller increase.

“There are a number of reasons for this – including an indication that more people are confident in reporting a crime and police forces making it easier for victims to report crime.

“This seems to be particularly true in respect of domestic abuse and sexual assault, which are both a priority for us.”

Reports of assault with intent to cause serious harm, robbery, sexual assault and rape all increased during this period.

Only two violent crimes saw a decrease in the past 12 months. 

There was four recorded offences of attempted murder, down two from the previous year while there were two reports of endangering life in 2015 to 2016 compared to 10 the previous year.