POLICE and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan appeared on television's Countryfile to discuss the problem of rural crime.

Craven resident, Mrs Mulligan is chairman of the National Rural Crime Network, which has launched the largest-ever survey into crime and anti-social behaviour in rural areas.

It calls on people who live and work in the country to give their views on policing and the impact crime has on them and their neighbours.

“The full scale of crime in rural areas has never before been assessed," said Mrs Mulligan. "While official figures show rural crime, like crime in general, is decreasing, we are concerned about the wider implications on people and communities. "The fear of crime can be as detrimental to people’s wellbeing as crimes themselves, so we are keen to find out more through this survey.

"Our aim is to build a clear picture of the issue to shape future delivery of services locally and nationally. By completing the survey, people can really have their say on how crime affects them and what they expect from local police and their partners involved in community safety.”

The survey will be open until Wednesday. To complete it, visit nationalruralcrimenetwork.net/survey