CRIME rates in St Helens have fallen below the national average, despite an overall increase in crime in the town.

But a new report highlights some very mixed findings; including a 25 per cent increase in reports of sexual offences, while there is a 40 per cent drop in drugs related offences plus some astounding results from local initiatives.

Grange Park, recently ranked among the top ten per cent of most deprived areas in the country, has the highest crime rate in the borough.

But despite this, the area has seen a massive 43 per cent decrease in burglary from dwellings and a drop of almost 60 per cent in drugs related crime.

Chris Cahill, a spokesperson for St Helens Council, puts this down to 'Making St Helens Safer', a successful partnership of Merseyside Police, the council and other agencies aimed at cutting crime in the borough.

She said: "Grange Park and Thatto Heath were identified as key areas, and targeted policing, crime prevention and household security advice for residents has brought about these results."

In Thatto Heath the number of burglaries has almost halved.

Nationally the number of sexual offences dropped slightly, but in St Helens reports of such crime have risen by over 25 per cent, with half of those incidents taking place within the last year.

These figures seem alarming, but they show the amazing success of initiatives aimed at encouraging victims of sexual assault to report their ordeals.

Chris Cahill said: "The police have been very active in telling people to report sexual offences. Previously so many rapes and sexual offences went unreported that to see 25 per cent more people reporting this type of crime is actually a good thing. "

The borough's overall 40 per cent drop in drugs related crime was six times higher than the national average, where there was an overall decrease of almost seven per cent.

But unfortunately, it is not all good news for the borough. According to the report, hate related crimes such as racist attacks and gender discrimination have increased by 77 per cent in the last three years.