LANCASHIRE is bucking the trend over hate crimes targeting mosques, new figures reveal.
National police statistics show such crimes more than doubled in 2017, up from 47 between March and June 2016 to 110 for the same period this year.
In Lancashire, however, none was recorded in that period this year, while the corresponding figure last year was one.
The biggest rises were in the Metropolitan police area, where the figures jumped from eight to 17, and in Greater Manchester, from zero to nine.
Racist abuse and threats to 'bomb the mosque' feature heavily among the hate crimes across the country, as do incidents of offenders smashing windows on buildings and parked cars.
Other records include offensive graffiti sprayed on to buildings, violent assaults on worshippers, two cases of arson and two cases of individuals leaving bacon on door handles at mosques.
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott called the figures "deeply troubling".
She said: "Attacks on any religious group or minority are abominable. These anti-Muslim attacks will be condemned by all decent people."
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