SEX crimes against children as young as four have risen in parts of the North-East in 12 months, new figures show.

Police figures show there have been 522 recorded sexual offences against children aged four to eight in the Cleveland and Northumbria force areas in one year alone – a rise of 13 per cent.

There were more than 6,500 recorded offences in England and Wales during the same period.

In Northumbria, there were 364 reported offences in 2016/17 compared with 81 in 2015/16.

In Cleveland, the figure was 158 compared with 142. There was no data for the Durham force area.

The figures come as the NSPCC relaunches their Talk PANTS campaign this half term, which helps parents with children aged eight and under to have the vital conversation about staying safe from sexual abuse by teaching them important messages, such as their "privates are private".

Research conducted by the NSPCC found many parents were worried that talking to their young children about sexual abuse would be scary and confusing for them.

An NSPCC spokesperson said: “There are a number of factors which could have contributed to the very large rise in recorded sexual offences against four to eight year olds in Northumbria.

"These include the police force improving its recording methods and people feeling more confident to come forward about abuse following high-profile cases. It could also be linked to the fact the internet allows perpetrators to reach more children.

“Whatever the reason, it is vital that we do all we can to prevent abuse from taking place. Our Talk PANTS campaign gives parents an appropriate way to talk to children aged eight and under about staying safe from sexual abuse.”

Detective Superintendent Mick Paterson, for Northumbria Police’s safeguarding department,, said: “Our approach to tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse has never been so advanced. We work very closely with a number of third parties such as schools, charities and local authorities so that staff, practitioners and anyone who comes into contact with children are trained to readily identify and recognise the signs of sexual abuse.

“The increase in reports shows that people now feel more confident in coming forward and in our ability to bring those responsible through the criminal justice system. It is also important to recognise these figures will include victims of historic offences who have now come forward."

Detective Superintendent Anne-Marie Salwey, head of specialist crime at Cleveland Police, added: “Cleveland Police takes all reports of sexual offences against children extremely seriously and we are continuing to work with partner agencies to tackle child abuse."