CRIME in Bolton has risen almost six per cent during the last six months, police figures reveal.

According to the Greater Manchester Police Authority, there were 18,271 recorded incidents in the town between April 1 and September 30.

This compares with 17,276 during the same period last year, a rise of almost 1,000 incidents.

However, on the positive side, Bolton has the best detection record in the whole of the Greater Manchester force with 4,626 crimes being detected, a rate of more than 25 per cent.

The rates for wounding, shoplifting, possession or trafficking in controlled drugs and sexual offences were above 66 per cent.

However, the detection rates for burglary, theft including from persons, pedal cycles or from vehicles and arson were very low.

There were a total of four murders in the Bolton area during the period, compared with one murder last year and the number of rapes, 19, equalled 2000.

In line with the rest of the country, crime has risen by 3.7 per cent throughout the Greater Manchester area to a total of 187,625 including a staggering 26,568 violent offences.

Murders, sex offences and serious woundings in the region were all up on last year, while there were less robberies, burglaries and firearm incidents.

Cllr Steve Murphy, chairman of the police authority, said the figures would have been much higher if significant work had not been carried out by the force in partnership with other agencies including Bolton Council.

He said: "We are seeing a slow down on what was taking place five or six years ago when there were far higher crime figures.

"Although the number of crimes has risen in Bolton, it has the best detection rate in the whole of the force.

"As a result of the work carried out by the police service and the local authority, there has been a marked reduction in crime.