DARWIN is officially the safest ward in Greater London, according to the latest crime figures.

The ward, which is the largest in the capital at 11.2 square miles, had the fewest reported crimes between April and December last year, with 207 offences recorded.

It went 18 days without any crime being reported at all during July and August until three cockerels were stolen from a farm.

Theft from a motor vehicle was the most common offence, reported 40 times during the nine month period while theft from other places including stables and building sites accounted for 30 of all offences committed.

Head of the Darwin Safer Neighbourhood Team Sergeant Katey Martin said: “These figures speak for themselves, demonstrating the commitment of the team to resolving local problems in the most robust way possible."

There are 624 wards across Greater London with Darwin geographically bigger than the boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham (6.3 sq miles) and Kensington and Chelsea (4.7 sq miles).

Darwin ward councillor Richard Scoates said: “This news really emphasises the effectiveness of community policing. The team has built solid relations with their local community and I have no doubt that having clear visible police on the beat is the cause of this success; long may it continue.”

Bromley's Shortlands ward and Kingston's Surbiton Hill ward were the next safest, both with 223 crimes reported during the same period.

The figures also proved pleasing for the borough as a whole, showing crime in Bromley had fallen by 9.4 per cent in the last nine months.

Overall there were 16,493 offences committed, down from 18,210.