GUN crime on the streets of Hampshire has almost doubled, it was revealed today.

A total of 97 firearms offences took place in 2002-03 - up from 58 in 2001/02.

The Home Office announcement shows a worrying 67 per cent leap in shootings and other gun crimes in the county. In neighbouring Dorset, gun crime fell from 34 to 17 over the same period.

In Sussex offences dropped from 155 to 136 but in Wiltshire it rose from 26 crimes to 60.

There are now five gun crimes for every 100,000 Hampshire residents, compared to an England and Wales average of 20.

Nationally, gun crime increased by two per cent compared to a 34 per cent hike in the previous year.

Home Office minister Hazel Blears wants to see a further reduction in firearms offences after announcing tough new laws. From today, those in possession of an illegal firearm will receive a mandatory five-year prison sentence.

She added: "We are determined to drive down gun crime and this sends out a tough message that anyone flouting our gun laws will face a lengthy time in prison."

The new figures do not take into account the number of incidents involving airguns and replica weapons.

Southampton Itchen MP John Denham, a former Home Office minister, said it was good news gun crime was falling nationally. This was because police were working effectively with local communities to tackle the problem, he said.

The Labour backbencher - chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee - added: "In Hampshire, the truth is that gun crime is at a very low level.

"It has also come here much later than it did to other parts of the country, partly because the police crackdown in other areas has been so hot that criminals have moved elsewhere.

"But I'm confident that if Hampshire police use the same tactics that have been successfully used by other forces they can prevent problems becoming too big."

The Home Office also today released quarterly crime figures which showed that, nationally, violent crime rose 14 per cent during the third quarter of 2003.

Offences of violence against the person in July to September rose 17 per cent compared with the same period in the previous year. This figure included an 18 per cent rise in more serious violence such as homicide and serious wounding, while sexual offences also rose eight per cent. Criminal damage also increased by seven per cent under recorded crime data.

There were 11,800 offences of serious violence in the period, up from 10,000.

Less serious violence - such as minor woundings, harassment, common assault and possession of weapons - rose from 203,800 offences to 238,000.

Recorded robberies fell by two per cent compared with the same quarter in 2002, recorded house burglaries fell by three per cent and thefts from vehicles fell eight per cent.