GUN crime and homicide have both risen in West Mercia over the last year, latest Government figures have revealed.

West Mercia police recorded a 29 per cent increase in gun crime between September 2003 and September 2004, outstripping a national rise of just five per cent.

The British Crime Survey showed there were 62 incidents involving firearms in 2003/04 - compared to 48 in 2002/03.

But the region - which includes Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Shropshire - retains one of the lowest gun crime rates in the country, with five per 100,000 people.

Nationally, there is an average of 20 offences per 100,000 population.

Home Office minister Hazel Blears said that a new mandatory five-year jail sentence for possession of an illegal firearm, which came into force 12 months ago, had been a powerful deterrent to people tempted to carry guns.

But she said it remained important to counter the culture which glamorises the use of guns in the eyes of youths.

"We have got to tackle the culture of gun crime, we've got to get through to youngsters that carrying a gun is not a cool thing to do," she said.

"We need to work even more intensively with local communities and families to get the message across that carrying guns is not a way of resolving your disputes with people."

Yesterday's publication of the British Crime Survey also revealed a rise in the number of homicides in West Mercia - from seven in 2202/03 to 18 in 2003/4 - despite a national fall.

Home Secretary Charles Clarke admitted that violent crime remained the "biggest challenge" facing the police following a six per cent rise.

Mr Clarke said that violent crime would be his number one priority as long as he is Home Secretary and claimed that the move to 24-hour licensing would not undermine his efforts.

Det Chief Insp Martin Lakeman of South Worcestershire Police told the Evening News today: "The number of firearms offences which occur in West Mercia Constabulary's area is small, given the size of the force area.

"While there has been a recorded rise of 14 offences from one year to the next throughout the entire West Mercia Constabulary area, firearms offences remain extremely rare in the force's area and represent a tiny proportion of overall crime.

"However, we are in no way complacent, and we remain determined to tackle the small number of offenders who seek to use guns in the commission of crime."