POLICE have changed the way in which they record hate crime to include attacks on the area's growing Eastern European community.

Lancashire Constabulary has created new categories of hate crime so that officers can log incidents where people are deliberately targeted because of the country they come from.

It is hoped that the new system will allow police to tackle hate crime more effectively and improve the service to East Lancashire's diverse and emerging communities.

The categories have been tailored to reflect the communities of people from places like Poland, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Portugal who now call East Lancashire their home.

Officers will also be able to categorise crimes that have been committed against a person because they are disabled.

Police will continue to record crimes that have been carried out because of a person's race, disability, sexual orientation, religion and faith, gender and age.

Head of the force's diversity unit , Supt Bob Eastwood, said: "The new categories allow us to better understand what we have to deal with.

"This will benefit the police because we will be able to tailor our services to meet people's needs. It is critically important to protect people - and to understand what people want from the police."

He added: "This new method shows our commitment to accurate reporting, recording, investigating and monitoring these incidents to give a better quality of service to our communities and to give us a clearer picture of where those horrendous crimes are taking place."

Hate crimes are not currently broken down into such detail by the government.

Supt Eastwood said: "We are trying to get ourselves ahead of the game. We have grasped the nettle. This should improve the way we serve the community."

The changes will come into effect shortly.

Residents are also being encouraged people to report hate incidents and crimes at locations other than police stations, 24 hours a day and to do so anonymously if desired. Incidents can be reported at mosques, churches, shops and libraries and on-line on www.lancashire.police.uk or through Crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.