A good end of term report has been achieved by police serving Swindon and Wiltshire.

Positive results on officers' efforts emerge from The Police Performance Review for 1999-2000, published jointly by Wiltshire Police Authority and the Chief Constable of Wiltshire, Elizabeth Neville.

Miss Neville said: "Improve-ments have been achieved in all aspects of our work and we are confident that this progress will be sustained over the next twelve months."

Highlights of the report state police in the county:

detected 33 per cent of all crime

detected 79.7 per cent of all violent crime

responded to incidents within the force's target time on 90.9 per cent of occasions

answered 96 per cent of the 53,801 calls to 999 received in the year within the 15 second target

Despite the force falling short of its target to detect 90 per cent of violent crime, it remains in the top 25 per cent of all police forces for performance in this area.

The force bettered its targets for dealing speedily with young offenders and arrests for supply and possession with intent to supply controlled drugs.

It achieved its target to detect 22 per cent of house burglaries.

Miss Neville said: "Our single failure to achieve our target in the detection of violent crime is disappointing.

"However, the increase in the number of violent crimes is only three per cent against a national increase of 16 per cent.

"In addition, the 80 per cent detection rate compares very favourably against the national average of 59 per cent."

She said that in light of the force's overall successes in tackling crime, Wiltshire continues to be one of the safest places to live in England.