A QUARTER of all calls to the confidential Lancashire Crimestoppers hotline now results in a suspect being charged, police have revealed.

Home Office figures put Lancashire as the joint top performing Crimestoppers board in the country along with the Leicestershire board.

Police said that calls to the crime-fighting charity from people living in the county have increased with one in four now resulting in a detection.

The head of the county's Crimestoppers charity, Gail Porter, said: "We act on all these calls and we are really pleased with our current success but we would urge people to continue to contact us with any information they have about crime in their area.

"The information the public supply is vital in the fight against crime and although they may not see immediate police action, I can reassure them that they are carrying out inquiries which in many cases will lead to suspects being arrested and charged.

"In recent months as a result of information received from the public we have made arrests for drug offences, theft, assault and burglary."

PC Kay Armstrong, who co-ordinates the Crimestoppers hotline said: "Crimestoppers is a valuable tool for people who do not wish to be identified by the police but have information on crime."

Crimestoppers can be contacted round-the-clock and confidentially on 0800 555111