LANCASHIRE police and the county’s probation service have beaten national targets to return criminals who have breached their licence back to prison.

The National Criminal Justice Board expects all areas in England and Wales to get 75 per cent of those who reoffend back behind bars within hours of a decision being made to recall them.

In the last six months 81 per cent of criminals have been returned to prison under the board’s guidelines.

In emergency cases those who have breached their licence must be returned to prison within 48 hours and for all other cases within 72 hours.

Inspector John Clucas of Lancashire police said: “The improvements have come from us all ensuring that we work together with the probation service so that if a decision to recall is made we have all the relevant information that allows officers to be tasked to arrest the wanted person.

“This makes the process as efficient as possible and this is now proving to be a success.”