RESIDENTS on the Yorkshire Coast have labelled the area a safe place to live and work.

The findings follow an investigation into crime and disorder in the Borough of Scarborough - which includes Whitby, Filey and part of the North York Moors National Park.

Some 91 per cent of people rated the area a safe place to live, with only one per cent believing it "very unsafe".

There had been a 14 per cent reduction in overall crime in the past three years, said Councillor Jane Kenyon, cabinet member for community development and chairwoman of the crime and disorder reduction partnership, which commissioned the audit.

"The true worth of this research will be in providing the partnership with the evidence it needs to address the areas where there are causes for concern and to tackle them," she said.

Superintendent David Short, operations commander for North Yorkshire Police's eastern area, said: "We have worked closely with the council and many organisations and voluntary groups.

"The new crime and disorder audit will form the strategy for the next three years."