NORTH Yorkshire remains one of the safest places in the country to live and work, according to a new report which shows the county has low levels of recorded crimes.

Figures from a Home Office report showed that overall levels of crime in North Yorkshire dropped by 0.58 per cent in the three months up to June this year, representing a total of 41,605 crimes in the period.

The number of burglary, vehicle crime, robbery and criminal damage cases all showed significant drops but the number of thefts rose by 5.85 per cent, representing an increase of 745 crimes to 12,746 in total.

There was also a 1.46 per cent increase in violent crimes, with 8,008 in total.

The number of sex offences reported has also increased by 4.55 per cent, to 598 in total, although many of these were said to be historical cases where the victims had only recently come forward.

A separate report from the British Crime Survey also showed that public confidence in North Yorkshire Police and local councils to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour has risen from 52.7% to 55.73% since last year.

Chief Constable Grahame Maxwell said: "The latest Home Office crime bulletin and British Crime Survey once again demonstrates the high level of service North Yorkshire Police and our partners deliver to our communities and the sheer commitment of everyone to tackle crime head on.

“The fact that North Yorkshire remains one of the safest and low-crime area in the country is very satisfying indeed. Performance has continued to improve in current financial year with crime on a steady downward trend.”