08 November 2023 , 23:15
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The most dangerous places across England and Wales have been revealed - with one ‘depressing’ coastal holiday hotspot coming in at number one.
Blackpool earnt the top spot thanks to 10,849 violent crimes committed last year alone. The resulting rate of 769.7 crimes per 10,000 people means the seaside town has a higher rate than any other place across the two countries. The area, once known as the UK’s Las Vegas, used to thrive with tourism but has been slammed in recent reviews as ‘so depressing’ and ‘a mess of buildings with no identity’.
One unhappy visitor wrote: "My mum and dad took me as a kid and it was amazing – a playground of fun and entertainment. I went back a couple of years a go and it was just so depressing. Behind the front it’s a s***hole." Whilst another added: "I lived in Blackpool when I was younger and it's aesthetically so dead, the promenade is a mess of buildings with no identity and you'll be lucky to find a squirrel."
But not everyone was as negative and one fan of the coastal resort argued: "It's actually really nice now and improvements are on going. Yes years ago it was struggling. It's now back up and coming."
Blackpool had more than 10,000 violent crimes last year alone (AFP via Getty Images)In second place for violent crime was Middlesbrough, reporting 657.6 crimes per 100,000 people since March 2022, or 9,452 last year. Rounding out the top three was Thanet with 621.5 violent crimes per 10,000. Meanwhile Birmingham and Bradford came in at number four and five respectively, reporting 618.2 and 612.3 crimes per 10,000, data from Security experts at found.
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The areas were in big contrast to the plush southwest London area of Richmond-upon-Thames, which was found to be the least violent place in the UK with just 153.2 violent crimes per 10,000 residents. Wealden and Ribble Valley came in at second and third safest with 154.4 and 156.7 violent crimes per 10,000 people each. Ribble Valley's total number of violent crimes was just 970 last year, but its small population of around 60,000 prevented it from beating Richmond-upon-Thames, reports the Daily Star.
The top 10 most violent cities and towns in England and Wales (violent crimes per 10,000):
1) Blackpool (769.7)
2) Middlesbrough (657.6)
3) Thanet (621.5)
4) Birmingham (618.2)
5) Bradford (612.3)
6) Wolverhampton (612.2)
7) Denbighshire (603.9)
8) Manchester (595.9)
9) Southampton (588.7)
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10) Portsmouth (583.9)