FALLING numbers of police on the beat has led to the recent rise in violent crime in places like Lancashire, the police federation has claimed.

Overall recorded crime in the county rose by 8.1 per cent in the 12 months to March 2001, with violent crime soaring by 19.5 per cent - the highest rise in the country.

Responding to the figures, chairman of the National Police Federation Fred Broughton, said police on the ground now had fewer colleagues than in 1997 and were dealing with more hostile situations.

He said: "While the service has made significant strides in reducing burglaries and vehicle crime, by concentrating on these Government-led performance indicators, it could be argued that such targets have taken attention away from traditional policing.

"We are equally as concerned about rising crime as the public and will strive to combat this, but until such time as police numbers are substantially increased, we will be facing an uphill battle."

Lancashire was one of only three forces in the country to show a rise of more than five per cent in overall recorded crime.

Although police said much of the rise could be blamed on the positive recording of crime, Chief Constable Pauline Clare admitted there was a 'worrying' rise in the underlying trend of some crimes, including violent crime.

Mrs Clare said police bosses were currently in the planning stages for a further county-wide Operation Reassure, in a bid to reverse the upward trend in some types of crime.

Ten years ago Lancashire Constabulary had a total of 3,264 officers. In 2001 that figure has risen to 3,348.