The Cotswolds has always been one of the most beautiful parts of the country - now it is one of the safest too.

Crime in the Cotswolds is not only down, it is falling more sharply than in many other rural areas.

Taking into account crimes like burglary and robbery, latest figures show that compared to 15 other similar areas - including South Devon and Cornwall - 9.7 offences are committed per 1,000 population compared to 12.1 per 1,000 elsewhere, making the Cotswolds the third safest place in the UK.

The trend is reflected locally too with crime in the Cotswolds down by 5.2% compared to a 12% increase in other parts of Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Martin Surl said: "I hope this will reassure people in the Cotswolds that they live in a safe place. I understand they want to see more police in their communities and I have challenged the Chief Constable to come up with a new approach to neighbourhood policing, including policing rural areas.

"The force has said that by the new year it will be able to tell the public what it can expect from its local public service, but sadly it won't be loads more officers because the money is not available from central government."

The PCC also expressed his dismay at Gloucestershire County Council's deputy leader Ray Theodolou who today (Thursday) is calling on Cotswold District Council leader Mark Annett to back his view that policing in rural areas is "woefully inadequate".

Mr Surl said: "This scaremongering must stop as it's damaging public confidence in the police and is not backed up by the facts, as Mr Theodolou would have discovered had he bothered to contact either myself or the Constabulary.

"Not only are his comments in danger of creating a climate of fear, they are damaging to the public's view of the police and the morale of officers trying their best in difficult times.

"I don't want our rural areas pitted against our urban ones. We are one county and the police are trying to do the best they can with the resources they have to police our county as one.

"I think this attack is less about raising concerns around policing levels and more about attacking me.

"If Councillor Theodolou wants to help, he might try lobbying his party's local MP or the Government for more resources - because quite simply visible policing presence has suffered due to cuts in officer numbers."

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Picture caption: Gloucestershire Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl