VIOLENT crime in North Yorkshire has increased by nearly a quarter in the past year, latest figures reveal.

However, the overall crime rate is down and detection rates are up, making North Yorkshire Police one of the top performing forces in the country.

The amount of recorded crime for the 12 months up to the end of March fell by 13 per cent, from 71,393 to 61,783 incidents.

The detection rate increased from 28 per cent to 35 per cent.

Over the same period, there were nearly 13,000 incidents of violent crime, 23 per cent more than the 10,474 during the previous year.

But North Yorkshire Chief Constable Della Cannings said recent changes in the way violent crime was defined meant the figures were misleading.

"Last year, we set a very challenging target to reduce crime by ten per cent and to increase detections to 35 per cent," said Ms Cannings.

"The fact that we have more than met these targets is testimony to all the hard work that has been carried out by all our staff over the past 12 months."

But she noted: "I am sure that attention will concentrate on violent crime, as it is the only category of crime that has increased.

"Given the relatively new definition which has expanded the meaning of violent crime, this is inevitable - and it is also something of a misnomer, as a large majority of violent crimes do not involve injury."

Ms Cannings said she aimed to reduce crime by a further ten per cent and increase the detection rate to 40 per cent during the next 12 months.

"This will not be easy, but I am determined that North Yorkshire Police will remain one of the top performing forces in the country," she said.

The figures show that, in the Hambleton area, there was an 11 per cent reduction in recorded crime, from 5,026 to 4,451 incidents.

However, violent crime increased by 16 per cent, from 661 to 770.

In Richmondshire, there was a two per cent reduction in overall crime, but violent crime was up 47 per cent, from 464 to 665.