READING today's Craven Herald may give the impression that we live in a very violent part of the country.

We tell the shocking story of how property developers Brian and Linda Verity, and their daughter, Caroline, were robbed at gunpoint in their luxury Skipton home.

Elsewhere we report a serious sexual assault on a 14-year-old girl at Bolton Abbey.

These are very serious crimes and we would not seek to minimise the trauma they have caused in any way.

But they do not give the real picture about robberies in Craven.

Over the last two-and-a-half years there have only been 11 robberies that have involved weapons.

That, of course, is 11 too many, but it does underline the fact that Craven is still a relatively safe place to live, work and visit.

And we can help to ensure it remains that way by responding to the police's appeal for information about these two dreadful crimes.