THREE out of four of the region’s police forces have seen an increase in child cruelty cases, according to children’s charity the NSPCC.

It obtained figures between the years 2012 and last year and said only Durham had seen a decrease in that period with a fall of 19 per cent.

Cases were up a whopping 60 per cent in the Northumbria Police force area, seven per cent in North Yorkshire and four per cent in Cleveland.

Experts suggested that changes in the way such crimes are reported was partly responsible for the rises.

The NSPCC said there were 496 child cruelty and neglect cases reported in 2014/15 across the region.

Detective Chief Superintendent Scott Hall, of Northumbria Police, said: “We have improved our response to sexual abuse and every single day we are safeguarding children at risk and proactively targeting offenders and bringing them to justice.”