Crime is falling across Mid Sussex, according to the latest police figures - but people's fear of crime is still high.

Figures out today show a seven per cent drop in crime since February last year and violent crime is down by more than eight per cent.

Burglaries are down by 30 per cent for Sussex Police's Weald division, which covers Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath, East Grinstead, Uckfield and Crowborough.

There have been 419 burglaries in the area since the start of the year, down from about 530 in the same period last year.

Chief Inspector Samantha Coates said: "The figures are enormously reassuring because that is the result we are trying to achieve.

"We do spend lots of time trying to identify trends and we direct resources to areas where we feel we can make a difference."

Despite Mid Sussex having some of the lowest figures in Sussex, with violent crime down by 14 per cent and the detection rate at 81 per cent, Ms Coates said fear of crime was still high.

She said: "We try to reassure people through heightened presence. But most criminals are after easy pickings, so if people take precautions it is unlikely they will be the victims of crime."