HAMPSHIRE Police have been urged to improve crime-fighting in a key report by government inspectors .

The force must do more to crackdown on burglary, robbery and violent crime, said Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).

HMIC inspector Sir Ronnie Flanagan said Hampshire's performance in these areas was "varied".

But he insisted the constabulary was getting to grips with its problems, and said: "Hampshire Police is moving in a positive direction. I am confident it will have significantly improved by the time of its next report, in autumn this year."

Inspectors said recorded crime had increased by 9.4 offences per 1,000 people to 85 - but this was lower than comparable forces.

Violent crime had risen, yet the number of detections fell six per cent to 67.3 per cent in 2002-03.

However, the number of house break-ins fell 0.5 per 1,000 residents to 9.3.

Detections for burglary and robbery also increased slightly, while the proportion of hate crime solved soared six per cent, according to the report.

The report said: "The force has a number of challenges to meet to ensure its performance meets and maintains the standards expected by the government and the communities of Hampshire."

Hampshire police have said the 53 per cent rise in violent crime was due to a number of inconsistencies in the way the crime was recorded by the force.

Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan has welcomed the report.

He said: "Domestic burglary has been a consistent priority for Hampshire Constabulary and it is gratifying to note that we are the best performing force in our family of forces with the lowest incidence of burglary and the highest detection rate.

"Nationally, we have the third lowest rate of burglaries and the eighth (out of 43) highest detection rate. Our recently launched Creating Safer Communities programme will ensure that our focus on crimes of particular community concern is maintained and intensified.''

The first-ever "baseline assessments", published by the Home Office, grade each force in 16 categories - ranking them excellent, good, fair or poor. Hampshire is given one "excellent" score - for forensic management - as well as seven "good" and eight "fair". Fresh assessments will be issued this autumn and then annually.