Readers have been responding to a story covering the amount of homophobic hate crimes were reported to the police in Cumbria.

Homophobia was behind one in five hate crimes recorded in Cumbria last year, figures reveal.

Home Office data shows Cumbria Constabulary recorded 124 homophobic and biphobic hate crimes in the year to March – 25 fewer than the year before.

It means someone's sexual orientation was a motivating factor in 18 per cent of the 681 hate crimes recorded in the county last year.

Charity Galop, which runs an LGBTQ+ hate crime helpline, said the pandemic has fuelled abuse, adding some callers said their attackers believe the outbreak to be a punishment for LGBTQ+ lifestyles.

Leni Morris, the charity’s CEO, said: “Lockdowns brought with them an escalation of abuse from homophobic and transphobic neighbours, with some of our clients experiencing break-ins and yet having few places to flee due to the restrictions.

“Around 70 per cent of same-sex couples avoid holding hands in public for fear of attack, but social distancing has made same-sex couples visible in public – and this has indeed led to attacks.”

She added the crimes have long-term effects on victims, with some changing their behaviour to avoid being targeted again.

The figures show transphobia was a factor in 27 hate crimes recorded by Cumbria Constabulary last year.

And there were 399 racially motivated incidents, 123 disability-related hate crimes and 49 offences linked to religion.

In England and Wales, transphobic hate crimes more than doubled in the last five years, from 1,195 in 2016-17 to 2,630 last year, while sexual orientation crimes increased from 8,569 to 17,135.

Here is what you had to say.

Trish Roxy Gosling-Barnes said: "It’s always been there, I lost count of the amount of abuse I got as a teen in Carlisle."

Tyler Jacoby Miller said: "I've been lucky not to have any directed at me in Windermere, but I know a lot who have had it, friends and family/"

David Eyley: "Having moved here from Birmingham some years ago, Cumbria is years behind in promoting and accepting a multicultural and diverse society.

"Children sometimes copy their parents long held beliefs and attitudes, which is hard to break, and is ingrained.

"Not sure what the answer is; more education, more influencers promoting it, greater punishments for this sort of crime, or a mix of every one of those.

"But it needs to change, or once again, Cumbria will be left behind; stuck in the time-warp that it is now."