The official crime figures, released on Thursday by the Home Office, also revealed there were 361 knife crime offences across Lancashire last year, with almost one in five serious offences in 2007/08 involved a blade.

This comes just days after the Government controversially designated Lancashire a knife crime "hotspot".

Serious violent crimes involving a blade have previously been bundled with other attacks, but since April last year officers have recorded them separately in light of growing public concern.

A total of 184 Grievous Bodily Harm offences in Lancashire last year involved a blade and 128 muggings.

Knives were used 41 times in the robbery of business properties and during eight attempted murders.

But despite the knife crime figures, overall crime has fallen across Lancashire.

Violence against the person is down 7%, sexual offences by 3%, robbery by 5%, burglary by 9%and criminal damage by 15%.

However the number of drugs offences and drug trafficking committed in the county has spiralled by 30 per cent.

Police said it was due to more cannabis offences being recorded as well as a major crackdown on drugs in the county.

Asst Chf Con Wendy Walker of Lancashire Police insisted she was pleased at the increase.

She said: "It is a result of our increased drug activity such as Operation nimrod in Preston, as well as making sure we have the intelligence to focus on our drug dealers, where they are living and where they are dealing.

Click the green button above to hear Lancashire Chief Constable Steve Finnigan talking about the latest crime figures

"Drug trafficking is more to do with serious and organised crime but this increase again is reflective of increased activity."

She said Preston - which saw falls in every crime category - was particularly a good news story.

She said: "We have had some problems in Preston but have put extra resources and really focussed activity in place. We don't do it on our own and partnership work has played a big part."

Crime in all categories in Preston fell.

Violent crime dropped by 2% from 3,419 to 3.361, robbery by 3% from 270 to 263, burglary by 3% from 710 to 687. Theft of a motor vehicle fell from 425 to 385 - 9% and theft from a motor vehicle fell 1% from 1,440 to 1,429.

South Ribble has seen significant fall of almost a fifth in violent crime from 1,578 to 1,247 and robbery fell by almost a fifth from 59 to 45.

However, the number of burglaries increased by 7% from 184 to 196.

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