The number of stops and searches carried out by police in England and Wales has fallen by 40%.

A total of 540,870 stops were conducted in 2014/15 - the lowest number since current records began, according to new figures from the Home Office.

The number of arrests from stops and searches has also fallen, dropping 31% to 74,712. This is also a record low.

The proportion of stops leading to an arrest has gone up, however, climbing from 12% to 14%.

The figures are the first to be published since Home Secretary Theresa May announced new measures to scale back the way police can stop and search suspects.

Current Home Office statistics on the number of stops and searches date back to 2001/02.

Mrs May said: "Today's figures show that the police use of stop and search has become more targeted, fairer on communities and leads to a greater proportion of arrests than at any time since records began.

"Fourteen per cent of stops led to an arrest in 2014-15 - the highest arrest rate on record - and stops on people from BME (black and minority ethnic) backgrounds have fallen by more than two-thirds since 2010-11.

"Stop and search is undoubtedly an important police power but when it is misused it can be counter-productive. It can be an enormous waste of police time and, when innocent people are stopped and searched for no good reason, it is hugely damaging to the relationship between the police and public.

"I am clear that police officers should use their stop and search powers when it is right to do so - but they must do so lawfully and fairly in the fight against crime. That is what our reforms have always been about.

"I expect the police to continue delivering better and more intelligence-led stop and search and improve stop-to-arrest ratios."