With the National Rural Crime Survey running for two more weeks, Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw is urging business owners in the county's rural communities to share their views and experiences.

The survey aims to find out the public’s perceptions of rural policing as well as their views on crime and anti-social behaviour. A key focus will also be on the impact of crime to businesses in rural communities.

Mr Grunshaw, said, “Protecting rural communities is as much a priority for me as it is policing our more urban towns and cities and I hope those who work or run businesses in these areas will take the time to complete this survey. It will ensure Lancashire's voice is heard at the national level and enhance the police’s understanding of the personal, social and economic cost of rural crime.

“Previous surveys have suggested that crime in rural areas is under-reported and I want to understand if this is the case in Lancashire and if it is, why? I want to know more about the sorts of crime people are experiencing, whether they are reporting it to the police as well as how they want to engage.

“Since 2010, Lancashire Constabulary have had to make savings of almost £84 million a year which has resulted in the loss of around 800 officers. This has meant a lot of changes to the way we deliver the service but we still need to get a clear picture of the experiences of crime and policing in our rural communities to allocate resources according to the demands across the whole county."

The survey is run through the National Rural Crime Network (NRCN) which is made up of 28 Police and Crime Commissioners, including Lancashire as well as police forces across the country and other organisations with links to rural issues.

The survey is available until Sunday 10 June at http://www.nationalruralcrimenetwork.net/survey