BITES, kicks, spits and pushes were among nearly 500 recorded assaults on police officers in Cumbria last year.

Police were assaulted at a rate of more than once a day according to new figures released by the Home Office.

Some 473 assaults were recorded in the year up to March, a slight drop on the previous 12 months.

The figure has been described by Cumbria's Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, as 'completely unacceptable'.

Of the assaults recorded 105 caused injury to an officer.

In the year ending March 2023 there were more than 40,000 assaults on police officers recorded by forces across the country.

Incidents Cumbria in that time include a Barrow woman biting an officer on the hand and attempting to spit in his face.

Sheena Curzon was jailed for two months after the incident in the town centre in September.

In October Barrow man Jordan Barnes was jailed for 14 months jail suspended for 18 months after he left a police officer with 'lasting damage' having caused a fractured shoulder in an alteration.

Chief Superintendent Matt Kennerley said: “Our officers and staff work incredibly hard to keep people in Cumbria safe and there is absolutely no excuse for any of them to be assaulted.

“Police officers, like everyone else in society, should be able to go to work without fear of being assaulted and the majority of the public understand this and show respect to the police as they go about their work in the community.

“Instances of assaults are not only extremely upsetting for the individual officer and their families but could result in officers being removed from the front-line, putting strain on our ability to respond to emergency incidents.

“There is no excuse for assaulting a police officer – or an emergency services colleague - and any such incident will be subject to a thorough investigation with the goal of bringing offenders to justice.”

In the previous year 498 assaults were recorded, a 25 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.