Arrests of children in Cumbria have been reduced by 78 per cent in seven years, new figures show.

Cumbria Police made 405 arrests of boys and girls aged 17 and under in 2018 compared to 554 in the previous year and 1,864 in 2011.

The figures for Cumbria are in line with the national trend.

Data from more than 40 police forces show that nationally police made 70,078 arrests of children in 2018 – a reduction of more than 70 per cent from almost 250,000 in 2010.

Across England and Wales, the total number of child arrests has been reduced every year since a campaign by the Howard League for Penal Reform began.

Over the same period, the number of children in prison has been reduced by 63 per cent.

Arrests of primary school-age children in Cumbria have also been reduced, the figures show.

There were 383 arrests of 10- and 11-year-olds in 2018, a reduction of 38 per cent from the previous year.