More murder hunts were launched in Newham in the last year than any other borough in London, it has been revealed.

The council’s first ever crime and antisocial behaviour scrutiny commission heard that detectives launched 13 murder investigations in the borough in the 12 months up to March 2018.

Police also told the council panel that there has been a 36 per cent drop in the victims of knife crime under the age of 25, as well as 30 fewer incidents involving a gun,

However, in the last 12 months officers have been called out to 11.7pc more domestic violence incidents than they were last year.

Across London the Metropolitan Police saw a rise of just over 8pc in domestic violence 999 calls.

Detective Superintendent Zena Marshall, from the North East Area Command Unit, told the panel that it was “hard to say” why incidents in Newham were higher than elsewhere.

She added that local police had been working on ways to “significantly reduce” gang related crime in the borough.

“We have seen an 18 per cent reduction in gun crime,” she said.

“This is down to the work we have done to significantly reduce gang related violence, monitoring and engaging the most dangerous individuals.”

Despite the high number of murder hunts in Newham over the last year Det Supt Marshall said the figures were now dropping.

“We haven’t seen a youth murder since April which is really significant,” she said.

“There was a point where we were looking at a murder a month. Gang activity and the work we have done around that has been an important part of this reduction.”

The crime and antisocial behaviour scrutiny commission was set up the council administration to discuss ways to reduce crime and disorder in Newham.

Councillor Joshua Garfield said: “Crime and antisocial behaviour are the main things that comes up on the doorstep. People are worried so it’s important we show we are doing something.”