Shocking new data has exposed Newham as one of London’s murder hotspots.

Newham is one of London’s murder hotspots, according to shocking new statistics released by police.

Some 56 people were killed between September, 2006, and last month – more than any other of the capital’s 32 boroughs, except Lambeth which saw 79 murders over the same period.

And of those murdered in Newham during the past five years, more than half were aged under 30 and almost one in four were 18 or under.

The data, issued last week under a Freedom of Information request, also revealed that 10 of the 56 crimes were unsolved.

Neighbouring Hackney was third in the murder league table with 42. But close by Redbridge saw just 14 murders during the same time.

The alarming situation forced Newham Council to fund 66 more police in a bid to calm fears.

A council spokesman said: “We have recently funded 66 extra police officers to increase the amount of enforcement activity and deliver extra patrols on the borough’s streets.

“In addition, we have introduced the Mayor’s Reward scheme to reward those who help to tackle serious crime and provide information which leads to someone being arrested and charged for gun and knife crime.

“However we cannot tackle crime and anti-social behaviour alone. We need people to report crime or come forward as witnesses to help us solve cases and bring criminals to justice.”

The Met Police figures detail 837 murders during that period across the capital London, with date, the victim’s age and the London borough in which they died.

Nationwide there are round 600 murders a year, and the capital annually accounts for 100 to 150 of those.

Detective Chief Superintendent Hamish Campbell, head of the Met’s Homicide and Serious Crime Command, said murder rates had been falling over the past few years.

But he added: “We recognise that some areas are more vulnerable to violent crime than others. The work of very many people in the police, communities and other organisations, and their efforts in preventing crime in the first place, has helped achieve this reduction. We want that to continue and the help of the public is essential in achieving both the arrests and convictions that follow.

“However, there are some murders where we still seek support and information and we continue to investigate those cases. Anybody who has information on these murders or other unsolved cases are urged to contact the police, either directly or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.”