NEW figures have shown that the North-East is one of the safest places to live in the country, despite a rise in knife crime and violent offences. 

Crime figures published by the Office of National Statistics on Thursday show reports of crime in the Northumbria Police force area have reduced in the last 12 months. 

The figures reveal that residents in the North-East are at the lowest risk of falling victim to personal crime across the entire country.

Meanwhile burglaries, thefts and criminal damage have seen an overall reduction of one per cent in the Northumbria force. This bucks the national trend that has seen an average increase of four per cent in crimes recorded by police forces. 

The risk of residents falling victim to household crime in the Nort-East, such as burglary, is the fourth lowest of all force areas.

However, the figures show that, along with forces across the country, Northumbria Police has had an increase in knife crime and violence.

The figures cover a 12 month period between June last year and June this year.

Chief Constable Winton Keenen said: “These figures are testament to the hard work of police officers, staff and volunteers across the force.

“In recent years Northumbria Police have experienced unprecedented challenges and we have had to look at how we meet the needs of the communities we serve.

“However, we have been steadfast in our determination to provide the very best service we can in safeguarding vulnerable victims and in the fight against crime."

Police and crime commissioner for Northumbria, Kim McGuinness, added: “The rises in knife crime and violence against a person are, of course, concerning and that’s why I’ve already set up a Violence Reduction Unit to tackle the root causes of crime and divert young people away from crime through early interventions.

“We still have low-levels of knife crime compared to other areas with big cities but I am determined to do all we can to drive this number down."