CRIME on bus routes in Cumbria is increasing year-on-year, with exposure, sexual offences and out-of-control dogs among a catalogue of reported incidents.

Figures show the number of crimes on buses and coaches in the county has increased over the last three years, with a surge in violent crime recorded.

Serious offences committed in the county between 2013 and 2015 included 44 common assaults, 22 assaults occasioning actual bodily harm and 35 incidents of harassment.

Some extreme cases included incidents of possessing an offensive weapon, intimidating witnesses, affray, intent to supply heroin and robbery.

Figures obtained from Cumbria police through a Freedom of Information request showed there were 74 reported crimes on bus routes across the county in 2013, 87 in 2014 and 91 in the first 10 months of 2015.

The figures reveal that Carlisle is the bus crime hotspot in north and west Cumbria, with 34 incidents reported in the town.

Other locations which saw bus crime included Workington (35), Maryport (12), Whitehaven (12) and Wigton (six).

One worrying trend has been a rise in common assaults and ABH.

More than a third of crime reported on coaches from January to October 2015 involved victims being injured and assaulted.

The figures relate to all reported crime committed by passengers on buses and on public bus routes, including damage to bus stops.