Healthy UK crime drop

Crime in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest level in nearly 30 years despite fears the recession would lead to an increase in offending.

The number of crimes committed in 2009/10 was 9.6 million, said the British Crime Survey, a drop of 9 per cent on the previous year.

Only robbery and street muggings increased.

Since 1997, when Labour took power, overall crime has fallen from 16.7 million offences a year to this year's 9.6 million, when the party lost power.

It is a drop of 43 per cent.