GROOMING offences against children have risen an “alarming 64 per cent” across England and Wales in just one year, new statistics show, with a “significant increase” in Hampshire.

Home Office figures show there were 1,771 grooming offences recorded in the year to June, up from 1,080 in the previous year. Sexual grooming was one of the most-increased recorded offences over that period.

In Hampshire, 57 grooming offences were recorded in the year to June this year, up from 34 in 2015-16.