Nearly nine in every ten crimes reported in Alton in August involved violence or sexual offences (VSOs).

Crime fell slightly in the town during the month according to the latest figures on www.police.uk, dropping from a year-long high of 128 in July to 121 in August.

But 107 of those involved VSOs with town centre car parks and Winchester Road being among the hotspots.

Police also received ten reports of people being in possession of weapons with incidents around Beechwood Road, Ackender Road, Draymans Way and the Wooteys estate being investigated.

The only other crime reported was public order (4) with 17 people being subjected to a stop and search around the town during the month.

The majority of those stopped were aged 18 to 24 with the searches taking place on York Mews, Southview rise, Normandy Street, Church Street, Allen Close and town centre car parks. They were searched on suspicion of drugs offences, with two being charged by post and the remaining 15 facing no further action.

Crime also fell in the neighbouring patches with the number of reports in Alton Rural dropping from 40 to 34 while the drop was even more encouraging in Four Marks.

The 22 figure recorded for August in the latter was the second lowest for a year with 13 being the low point set the previous December.

Two of the three stop-and-searches carried out during the month took place in Farringdon and involved a male and female aged 25 to 34.

Both were searched on August 1 under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 while the outcome for both was a community resolution being agreed.

A woman aged over 35 was also stopped and searched on August 11 on Bogmoor Close in Four Marks under the same legislation with no further action being taken.