KNIFE crime has soared in Dorset – with towns such as Weymouth and Dorchester seeing big increases.

Figures obtained by an Freedom of Information request showed 443 knife crimes were recorded by Dorset Police in 2018 compared to 326 in 2017 – an increase of 35 per cent.

The latest annual total had doubled from 2016, although the first quarter of that year had a different offence reporting system in place.

Dorset Police's knife crime lead, Superintendent Jared Parkin, said the 2018 increase reflected national trends, with county lines drug networks and better recording practices playing a part.

He also said the majority of Dorset incidents involved cases where there was a connection between the suspect and victim.

Last year, a total of 57 knife crimes were reported in Weymouth and Portland, a 58 per cent increase since 2017.

Dorchester and Sherborne had a total of 29 reports last year, which is more than double the number reported in the previous 12 months.

There were 20 knife crimes reported in Purbeck last year, which marked a 43 per cent increase from the previous year.

Bridport had a total of 12 reports last year, which is double the number recorded in 2017.

Meanwhile, the number of reported knife crimes reported in North Dorset remained at 23.

The highest number of knife crimes were reported in the Bournemouth area.

Supt Parkin said: "This (increase) is in part due to better recording of incidents when a bladed item has been involved, but also as a result of issues such as county lines drug networks, which is also seen in other areas of the country, and other serious organised crime groups.

"The majority of knife crimes in Dorset involve a relationship between the victim and suspect – stranger incidents are still rare and are generally not committed in public."

Nationally, knife crime has been under scrutiny this year with frequent reported stabbings, including fatalities, in London and other big cities.

Supt Parkin added: “While we recognise that knife crime is a concern among our young people, in Dorset we do not experience the same type of gang-related knife crime involving young people widely reported in other areas of the country.

“We are committed to reducing knife crime across Dorset. We work in conjunction with partners to identify those most at risk and those who present the greatest threat in terms of knife-related crime.

“We aim to understand the scale and impact on local communities and individuals including drug users and domestic abuse victims and ensure that effective procedures are in place to protect them from harm.

“Our work also continues to disrupt and bring offenders to justice while maintaining public confidence in Dorset Police and partner organisations."

Other work from police to reduce knife crime includes targeting known habitual knife carriers and taking "positive and robust" action against those committing knife crime.

Knife amnesties are also carried out across the county and visits to schools are completed to explain the dangers and potential consequences of carrying a knife.

Dorset Police also witnessed an increase in reports of the separate weapons offence possession of article with blade or point.

This can include carrying a knife but also items such as syringes.

Reports of this type rose from 167 in 2017 to 218 last year, a 30 per cent increase.