POLICE say Brexit-sparked racism will not be tolerated in the county after a spike in reported incidents since the EU referendum.

There were 15 such crimes across Cumbria between June 23 and July 18.

It was revealed this week that across the UK there have been more than 6,000 reports of hate crime to police since mid June.

The force's hate crime lead, Detective Chief Inspector Roy Ledingham, said: "Following the EU referendum, Cumbria Constabulary has received reports of racial hate comments made to members of the public.

"However, the hate crime figures in Cumbria do not reflect the rise that can be seen in the national figures that were released this week.

"Hate crime will not be tolerated in this county and any allegation will be fully investigated. Such crimes can leave a long-lasting effect on the victim and there is simply no excuse for someone to be subjected to such abuse."

Nationally the police handling of hate crime is to be reviewed after a sharp rise in incidents, the home secretary announced this week. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary will analyse how forces in England and Wales respond, Amber Rudd said.

It comes after figures showed there have been more than 6,000 reports of hate crime to police across the UK since mid June.

The review will also look at how hate crime and abuse is handled in schools.

Last month a Dalton primary school headteacher spoke of his shock after finding racist graffiti daubed in pupil toilets following last month's Brexit vote.

David Reddy, who has been at the helm of George Romney Junior School for five years, confirmed two "intolerable" incidents had taken place in the form of xenophobic slurs written in pupil toilets.

The scrawled messages at the Dalton junior school, which appeared on separate days, were directed towards other pupils whose families are from Romania and Poland.

Mr Reddy said he was "deeply shocked and saddened" by the incidents he believed had been sparked by Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

Cumbria police are appealing for anyone who has witnessed or has information regarding hate crimes to come forward and make contact with Cumbria Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. You can also report hate crime online at www.cumbria.police.uk or by visiting one of the 49 Hate Incident Reporting Centres located throughout the county; a list of locations can be found at www.cumbria.police.uk/advice-and-information/reporting-a-crime/hate-incident-reporting-centres.

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