NORTH Yorkshire police's crime detection rate has topped 33pc, making it one of the best in the country.

And the force was praised by the Home Office for its progress in cutting crime.

Home Office figures released on Wednesday show a fall in burglary, auto crime and rape in the last 12 months.

Overall, the crime total increased from 67,239 incidents to 71,473, with the bulk of the increase due to an increase in vandalism and acts of minor violence. Deputy chief constable Roger Baker said this was due partly to officers targeting public disorder offences.

"North Yorkshire police have turned a corner in terms of performance," he said. "This year detections and arrests are up, crime is down and we are forging ahead."

The force had more officers on the beat than ever before, backed by community support officers, and they targeted yobbish and unruly behaviour.

Mr Baker said: "What these figures mean is that we have the right people in the right place at the right time. But every time an officer breaks up a fight, disturbance, or even a jostling match in the street, an addition is made to the total of reported crimes."

Alcohol fuelled a quarter of all violent crime in North Yorkshire and the force was clamping down hard on those who supplied alcohol to children and to people already drunk.

Mr Baker added: "Another concerning statistic is that 22 per cent of all violent crime in North Yorkshire is domestic in nature. This force has a robust policy towards domestic violence, and it is not tolerated."

Research showed the county had the third lowest rate of violent crime among UK police forces of a similar make-up and population. In the first quarter of this year, compared to the same time last year:

* Overall crime was down by 7.2 pc, to 16,465 incidents.

* Domestic burglary was down 40.8 pc to 754.

* Robbery fell by 24.3 pc to 81.

* Vehicle crime was down by 41.8 pc to 1,610.

* Violence up, page 3.