CHILD grooming cases in Hampshire have spiked by almost 70 per cent in the last year – prompting charity bosses to call for urgent action.

Home Office figures show 57 grooming offences were recorded across the county in the year to June, up significantly from 34 in 2015-16.

The 67.6 per cent increase is also slightly above the 64 per cent reported across the country.

Figures show there were 1,771 grooming offences recorded across England and Wales in the year to June, up from 1,080 in the previous year – making it one of the most-increased recorded crimes over the last year.

NSPCC chief executive Peter Wanless, has urged authorities to take action.

He said: “This is an enormous rise in recorded grooming offences over such a short period, and the fact that records of grooming offences have increased substantially more than most other crimes shows the need for urgent action.

“We all have a part to play in keeping children safe online.”

Another charity, the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which specialises in keeping children safe online, commented on the rise.

The charity’s clinical manager, Tom Squire, said: “It’s difficult to know the precise reason for the increase in recorded cases of grooming across Hampshire and the UK more generally.

“What we do know is that a recent change in the law means that it is now a criminal offence for an adult to send a sexual message to a child, and we welcome the fact that the police are using their new powers to make arrests and protect children.”

The rise follows a number of recent high-profile grooming cases both locally and nationally.

In March last year, footballer Adam Johnson was jailed after meeting a 15-year-old fan, with whom he had exchanged sexual messages on WhatsApp.

Last week, Southampton man Robert Babey was jailed after he was caught in a paedophile-hunter sting while attempting to meet whom he thought was a teenager.