RECORDED crime across West Mercia is up by 30 per cent - with a 117 per cent rise in violent crime.

But despite the rise, Assistant Chief Constable Ian Arundale has acted to dispel fears that the streets of Worcestershire were more dangerous than before.

The figures show 231 extra recorded robberies, up from 423 to 654, and a 16 per cent rise in recorded burglaries.

But detection rates of crimes are also up slightly - rising one per cent to 29 per cent.

Thefts of - and from - vehicles dropped by 7,000 to 13,111 in the space of a previous year.

Mr Arundale said the rise in crime "is almost entirely attributable to the fact that they cover the first full year during which our new system has been in place".

West Mercia was one of the first forces in the country to implement the new National Crime Recording Standard, under which many incidents not previously recorded as crimes now fall within this category.

"These figures do not necessarily mean that there has been a rise in the actuality of crime within West Mercia, but that we are recording more offences," he said.

Mr Arundale added that the force now had a much more realistic view of the crime situation across its area.

The national figures demonstrated that West Mercia was one of the safest areas in the country in which to live and work, he said

It was well below the national average in terms of offences for every 1,000 people in the population - 89 in West Mercia compared with a national average of 104.

The force is launching a recruitment drive for an additional 300 officers to bolster its presence on the streets.

Among incidents not previously logged as crimes, but which now fell within the statistics, were those where victims of assaults declined to make formal complaints, or where people involved in fights or disorder had left the scene before the arrival of the police.

"The fresh approach to recording crime is much more victim orientated," said Mr Arundale.

"It provides us with improved data which is enabling the police to work much more effectively with our partner agencies in identifying and tackling issues which may not have been apparent under the old system."