The four months to July saw a 9% fall in violent offences compared with the same period in 2003, which equates to a reduction of almost 700 attacks.

It comes despite a spate of recent high profile murder investigations in the county.

The police authority felt much of the improvement was down to concerted action by many groups to deal with alcohol-related trouble.

Hard work

The chair of Nottinghamshire Police Authority, John Clarke, said the effect of the big cases was yet to come through.

"You'd expect with the amount of press attention and the number of people being involved in these major incidents, that crime figures would suffer.

"But I have checked over the last week and I am told at the moment it has had no great effect."