FIGURES from the NSPCC have again illustrated the rising tide of child sex abuse cases being dealt with by the region’s police forces.

Following a Freedom of Information request by the charity, Durham Police revealed it had recorded 611 sex offences against children in 2013-14.

This was up 274 per cent on 2012-13’s figure of 163.

A total of 31,238 allegations of sexual offences against children, including rape and assault, were made to forces in England and Wales in 2013/14, the NSPCC found.

This was an increase of more than a third compared to the previous year.

The statistics are the latest in a slew of recent findings indicating a spike in the number of abuse cases being reported and follow a trend that started in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal which emerged in 2012.

The NSPCC said greater awareness may be giving more victims the courage to come forward – including those reporting historical allegations – or police forces had improved their recording methods.

Durham Police previously said a rise in sexual offences was largely due to changes in recording practices.

Following a report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) into the integrity of crime recording, forces across the country have adopted a more rigorous approach to recording certain offences.

According to the NSPCC, its helpline allowing people to report abuse of children received 55 notifications last year in County Durham, of which 40 were deemed so serious they were referred on immediately to police or children’s services.

Elsewhere, neighbouring Cleveland Police recorded 411 sexual offences against children in 2013-14, the NSPCC said, Northumbria 718 and North Yorkshire 393.

Peter Wanless, the charity's chief executive, said: "Clearly child sexual abuse is a continuing and widespread problem that needs urgent action.”

A wide-ranging independent inquiry, headed up by New Zealand Justice Lowell Goddard, has been established by the Home Secretary Theresa May to probe allegations of historical child sex abuse and a Westminster paedophile ring.

Last month it emerged that police are investigating more than 1,400 prominent men, including politicians, celebrities and those linked to institutions, for historic child sex abuse.