CRIME in Greater Manchester is returning to pre-coronavirus levels as police battle to enforce Government rules to help stop the spread of covid-19 in the region.

The National Police Chiefs' Council said that provisional statistics released by forces in England and Wales indicates crime trends have returned close to pre-lockdown levels following a 28 per cent reduction at the height of lockdown.

And Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has confirmed that officers have noticed this worrying trend as they cope with the extra responsibilities that come with making sure residents comply with the coronavirus regulations.

GMP Assistant Chief Constable Nick Bailey said: "The data published by The National Police Chiefs Council reaffirms that demand is returning to the pre-covid level and that the virus is continuing to place additional demand on forces.

"Since the end of July, Greater Manchester has been in a unique position as each of the 10 boroughs have been subject to varying local restrictions.

"These tighter regulations and the requirement to enforce these among a large population are, understandably, reflected in the data.

"Greater Manchester Police will continue to police covid-19 by consent – engaging with members of the public, explaining the restrictions and encouraging them to comply.

"Although enforcement is a last resort, continued breaches of the restrictions will not be tolerated.

"We all have a responsibility to comply to protect ourselves and our loved ones."

The force has handed out 459 fixed penalty notice (FPN) fines for breaches but data is not available on how many of them have been paid.

A total of 18,912 FPNs have been issued in England and Wales.