THE number of domestic violence incidents reported to police in Bradford reached more than 28 a day in a year, according to a new report.

The 10,467 reports, revealed in the Bradford Safeguarding Adults Board's annual report, was a jump of eight per cent in 2013/14 from the previous year.

Of those cases, 82 per cent involved female victims and six per cent were aged 60.

However, it is believed that work by the authorities to encourage more victims to come forwards might be responsible for that increase.

The report, which was published yesterday, said: "Domestic violence and abuse is a complex issue that needs sensitive handling by a range of health and social care professionals.

"It affects families which include children and vulnerable adults."

The new document also said Bradford District Care Trust flagged up 435 cases of safeguarding issues relating to adults, in 2013/14 - half of which concerned domestic abuse.

It outlined ongoing and planned work across several organisations to tackle the problem and train staff what signs they should look out for.

Bradford Council deputy leader and safer communities spokesman, Councillor Imran Hussain, said local authority spending on tackling domestic violence had been protected despite recent cutbacks and added that its staff now worked more closely with police.

"We treat domestic violence as a priority, it is agenda we cannot be complacent on.

"We have been working with police more closely than ever before. I think we have been encouraging more people to come forwards and report these incidents," he said.

The Safeguarding Adults Board (SAB) meets four times a year to discuss issues relating to adults at risk of abuse, including neglect, cruelty and scams. It is made up of members from several organisations such as Bradford Council, the NHS, police, probation, fire and ambulance services and the housing, private and voluntary sector.

Its annual report also reveals that the number of new referrals to Bradford's adult protection unit has increased in the last two years as a result of greater public awareness.

The unit, based at the Council, carries out work on behalf of the SAB and has reported a rise in referrals of adults at risk who have had no prior involvement with adult services - from eight per cent in 2011/12 to 47 per cent in 2013/14.

The majority - 33 per cent - of reports related to physical abuse and 47 per cent of referrals were of abuse in people's own homes. The majority of alleged perpetrators, 39 per cent, were family or friends.

From April this year, Bradford adopted the West Yorkshire Safeguarding Adults Procedures - a set of guidelines drawn up with the regions four other councils - which has involved all agencies working closely together to train hundreds of staff in safeguarding awareness.

And from April next year, the Care Act will place all safeguarding adults boards on a statutory basis. Bradford's SAB and partners said they were working to ensure this step forward in the protection of adults at risk was reflected in safeguarding practice.

Jonathan Philips, the chairman of the Safeguarding Adults Board, said: "We hope to work further to implement the Care Act and continue to strengthen the support we provide for vulnerable adults, keeping service users very much at the centre of everything we do."