West Midlands named UK's gun crime capital for second year

The Office for National Statistics recorded 562 offences for the 12 months up to April 2015 Credit: West Midlands Police/PA Archive/Press Association Images

The West Midlands has been named the UK's gun crime capital for the second year running.

The Office for National Statistics recorded 562 offences for the 12 months up to April 2015 - up from 540 in the previous year.

Those figures do not include the spike in shooting incidents in Birmingham since the Summer.

West Midlands Police officers rope off the crime scene after a man was found shot in his car. Credit: PA

Gun Crime Rate:

To tackle the violence the force launched 23 intelligence-led tactical firearm operations involving armed officers in January alone and has arrested more than 40 people and recovered more than 25 weapons.