NEW figures show that West Yorkshire saw the highest number of recorded hate crimes following the Brexit vote outside London and Manchester.

West Yorkshire Police recorded 1,013 hate crimes between July and September 2016 - the highest quarterly figure since comparable records began in April 2012.

It was a rise of 46 per cent on the three months before the referendum.

The Metropolitan Police recorded 3,356 incidents, and Greater Manchester police 1,033.

West Yorkshire Assistant Chief Constable Angela Williams said: “Wherever there is evidence of a crime we will seek to prosecute and even if what has happened is not a crime, people need to come forward in order they can receive the appropriate support. Behaviour of this nature has no place in our society.”

David Isaac, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: “It is clear that a small minority of people used the Brexit vote to legitimise inexcusable racism and prejudice.”

UKIP leader Paul Nuttall said: “My heart goes out to those people who have been victims, but I think a lot of this has been overblown specifically to try to rubbish Brexit.”