THERE has been a big increase in the number of people reported missing in Lancashire, according to official figures.

Statistics from the police, released through a freedom of information request, have shown 7,113 people went missing in 2016, compared to 5,954 in 2015.

It is the highest number since 8,224 in 2012.

The data shows the vast majority of people, 4,768, were aged between 12 and 17.

In the East of the county, 2,131 were reported missing in 2016, up from 1,813 the year before.

But since 2012 the figures had been decreasing from 2,939 until 2016.

More than half of those who went missing were also between the ages of 12 and 17, with 1,368 cases handled by the police.

A police spokesman said: “It can be devastating when a person goes missing.

“We take reports of missing people seriously and our priority is to locate the missing person as soon as possible.

“While figures have increased, people are more aware now of the issue of missing people and we have improved the way we record missing people, so that contributes to the rising numbers.

“There are many reasons why children, young people and adults go missing and we recognise that this is very often an indication of wider issues in their life.

“Police forces cannot solve these problems alone and we are committed to building a consistent, multi-agency response to missing people.”

The official figures showed that last year in East Lancashire 126 children under the age of 12 were reported missing, 363 were between 18 and 35 years old, 213 were ages from 36 to 65 and 61 were older.

For more information go to www.lancashire.police.uk/help-advice/safer-communities/missing-people.