Highest knife crime in south east

Thames Valley Police recorded 329 incidents of knife crime

Hampshire has recorded the highest level of knife crime in the south east and the eighth across the whole of England and Wales, figures show.

Home Office statistics revealed in the last 12 months to March, 388 serious crimes involved a bladed instrument.

But police-recorded crime in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight dropped 9%, the same across England and Wales.

Insp Alistair Nichols denied there was a "significant" knife culture and said police were working hard on the issue.

He added: "The simple message is carrying knives ruins lives.

"We're working hard to get knives and other offensive weapons off our streets."

Metal detector wands have been issued to officers, as well as some of the city's bars and schools, to carry out searches of those suspected of carrying a bladed weapon.

The south east area also includes Kent, Surrey, Thames Valley and Sussex.

Drugs offences in Hampshire rose 41% from last year - compared to a rise of 18% across England and Wales.

But a Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said the rise was down to the force's success in detecting drugs crimes.

"Last year, in particular, several high-profile drugs operations came to fruition," he added.

"We would urge people, therefore, not to be alarmed by the increase."

He said Operation Phoenix, which began in 2004, led to 50 convictions and 275 detections in recent months, the majority of which were for Class A drugs offences.

And in May last year, 13 people were arrested as part of an operation targeting those involved in running cannabis factories across the south of England.

Criminal damage dropped 14% across the county with domestic burglary down 6%.

Fraud and forgery saw the biggest fall dropping 33%.