ARRESTS of children by Dorset Police have fallen by 81 per cent in the last six years, figures reveal.

Research by the Howard League for Penal Reform found the force made 447 arrests of children aged 17 and under last year, down from 2,310 in 2010.

Arrests of children by Hampshire Police fell by 79 per cent over the same period, down to 1,711.

Frances Crook, the charity's chief executive, said: "For the sixth year running, we have seen a significant reduction in child arrests across the country. This is a tremendous achievement, and we will continue to support police forces to develop their good practice and reduce the number to an absolute minimum.

"Dorset Police should be applauded for their positive approach, and the Howard League is proud to have played its part in a transformation that will make our communities safer.

"By working together, we are ensuring that tens of thousands of children will have a brighter future and not be dragged into a downward spiral of crime and custody."

The charity said academic research shows the more contact a child has with the prison system the more likely they are to reoffend.

Between 2010 and 2016, the number of children in prison in England and Wales fell by 58 per cent.

In 2016, in England and Wales, a child was arrested every six minutes, the charity said.