CRIME in Cheshire has fallen by 12% in the last year, new figures have revealed.

The dip in the amount of crimes being reported puts the Cheshire Constabulary force ahead of many other forces which only saw a 9% fall in recorded crime.

Cheshire is also leading the way in tackling robberies, having seen a 17% downturn compared to a national average of 16%.

Deputy chief constable Graeme Gerrard added that figures also revealed people in Cheshire were statistically less likely to become a victim of knife crime. Calculations show 0.41 per 1,000 people are victims of knife crime nationally. The figure for Cheshire is half that amount.

He said: ““Those who carry a knife are more likely to become a victim of knife crime than those who do not carry a blade.”