Locals have hit back at statistics portraying their home town as the most dangerous place to live in the UK. Of more than 250 council areas in England and Wales outside London, the most crime-ravaged place to live, according to the Home Office, is Blackpool.

Last year, police in Blackpool recorded 21,437 non-fraud crimes. That translates to a crime rate of 149 offences for every 1,000 people who live in the town, the highest in England and Wales, outside the capital.

A year ago, Blackpoolwas ranked second, but despite a 3% drop in crime in the last 12 months, it has overtaken Middlesbrough to move into first place, fuelled by particularly high rates of violent offences. Crime rates - calculated by dividing the number of crimes by the population size - are generally considered the fairest way of comparing crime in areas of wildly different sizes.

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A spokesperson for Layton Methodist Church told the Express that, like many towns across the country, there are real challenges in places like Blackpool. They added: "But from our experience on the ground, working through charities locally, that's only part of the picture.

"What we see every week is community - people supporting each other, organisations working together, and a real effort to help people move forward.

"We will continue to champion our community - highlighting the good, supporting those who need it, and working in partnership to create positive change. Blackpool has challenges, but it also has strength, resilience and a lot of people who care."

Local Steve Beck said: "No more dangerous than any other town or city in the country. It has its problems, but it has a lot to offer. It's not a Blackpool problem, it's a national problem. But Blackpool attracts lots of people to live here, and over the years it's impacted the town."

Accountant John Woodman said: "I walk through town at night and have never felt unsafe! Yes, we have our issues, but so do many towns. It doesn't help that every other town/city sends its deadbeats to Blackpool, where they think the streets are paved with gold!"

The owner of Jewels by Jules, Julie Southern-Simpson, said Blackpool is "definitely not" dangerous, adding: "I have lived here for 38 years and it's only some areas that are a problem. It's like any other place in the UK, calling it 'a dangerous place to live' is going way over the top!"

Lancashire Constabulary said it remains committed to disrupting and preventing crime across Lancashire, including in Blackpool.

A spokesman added: "We want to reassure anyone with concerns that we have dedicated teams across the town, covering a number of different aspects of policing, including community engagement, immediate response, and detectives.

"These officers will continue to conduct their duties and police Blackpool with the intent of keeping residents safe and reducing crime."