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A street in Preston has been branded the most crime-ridden in England and Wales by a government website.

Glovers Court - a quiet street in Preston city centre - has been the location for 150 offences in December, according to the online map.

But police say the crimes were actually committed across the whole of Preston city centre.

Ch Supt James Lee said only three crimes had been reported at Glovers Court.

The figures are part of a new online crime map, set up by the Home Office, which cost £300,000 to develop.

Visitors to the website are able to find out which crimes have taken place on or near their street within the past month and which officers are responsible for their area.

The street with the most recorded crimes is Glovers Court - but Ch Supt Lee said: "The figures don't do it justice; it is actually a safe place to be.

"I don't accept these figures. The postcode relates to the whole of the city centre."

He said the people of Preston should be proud to live there. "All crime was actually down 4.5% during the month of December in the city centre."

A spokesman from the Home Office said the figures on were supplied by Lancashire Police.

The spokesman said: "The information is provided by local forces and we simply input the raw data."

Glovers Court, which is off the busy city centre thoroughfare of Fishergate, does not have any flats or houses - but it does boast two pubs - the Wellington Inn and Glovers - as well as Brown's Cafe Bar.

Simon Nash, who lives on nearby St Austins Place, is dismayed the figures put Glovers Court at the top of national crime statistics.

Mr Nash said: "I have lived here for eight years and have never ever seen one crime.

"As a resident it's cheesed me off as it isn't a violent place to live; it's a great place to live."

Policing minister Nick Herbert explains the website was set up so the public can access crime rates for their street or postcode and hold the local police to account.

He said: "It reveals the instances of anti-social behaviour and specific crimes that have taken place but more importantly, the website enables people to hold the police into account as it gives all the details of the neighbourhood policing teams, how to get hold of them and the regular beat meetings we ask police to hold."