ONE of the safest places to live in the country is the Ryedale area of North Yorkshire, according to a local community partnership.

Figures published by Safer Ryedale show that crimes in the district make up only three per cent of the total for the county.

For the past three years, just over 2,000 crimes have been reported annually, although the cost of crime to private public property and services is estimated at about £1m. The cost of crime - to town and parish councils, such as vandalism, was £17,700.

The figures show that 84 house burglaries were recorded by police in Ryedale over the past year.

Community safety officer PC Terry Triffitt said: "This equals four in 1,000 households, compared with 15.7 in North Yorkshire, and 18.2 in England and Wales.

"One third of the burglaries occurred where the property was not locked or secured. A third were distraction burglaries."

Vehicle crime was also well below the average for the county - with 92 vehicles reported stolen over the past year - a rate of two per 1,000 households, compared with 3.5 for the county.

However, the number of crimes committed while under the influence of alcohol had risen from 96 last year to 136 this year.