FEWER hate crimes were recorded by police last year despite a general rise in incidents across the country.

Home Office data shows 2,395 hate crimes were recorded by Lancashire Constabulary in 2019-20 - down 16 per cent on the previous year, when 2,836 incidents were reported. However both figures were far higher than the 881 crimes recorded in 2014-15.

It was a different picture across England and Wales, where police recorded 105,090 hate crimes in the last year – a record high, and an eight per cent increase on the previous year’s figure.

Reports can include racially or religiously motivated assault, harassment and criminal damage.

Around 70 per cent of reports in Lancashire related to race, while 18 per cent featured hostility towards someone’s sexual orientation.

Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, hate crime lead for the National Police Chiefs’ Council, said it is concerning to see that people across England and Wales were still being targeted for who they are.

“Over recent years police have worked hard to improve our response to hate crime, including better recording of offences and more training for officers,” he added.

“Everyone has the right to live their lives without fear of being attacked, either physically or verbally. Police take all reports of threats and abuse seriously and we will work to bring perpetrators to justice.”