Recorded crime in north Edinburgh has dropped by almost a quarter, with about 1,700 fewer crimes reported in the last nine months.

New statistics from Police Scotland reveal a large drop in domestic housebreakings and violent crime in the area, falling 19% and 26% respectively year-on-year.

The figures for April to December 2015 also show car crime has dropped by 34% in the north of the city, the number of recorded cases of possession of an offensive weapon has almost halved at 47%, crimes of carrying a knife have reduced by 28% - but offences relating to drugs possession went up by a tenth.

Police Scotland released the figures on Wednesday as justice secretary Michael Matheson and chief constable Phil Gormley visited officers on patrol in Cables Wynd, Leith, which has recently been a problem area for disorder and antisocial behaviour.

Mr Matheson and Mr Gormley also witnessed a street surgery, where officers asked the public for feedback on a recent police day of action.

The pair also met Anne Munro, the manager of Pilmeny Development Project, which works to support residents and groups in North Edinburgh to identify and resolve their concerns with other agencies.

Mr Matheson said: “Our official recorded crime statistics mirror the downward trend that police in the north of Edinburgh have highlighted today.

"Recorded crime across Scotland is at a 41-year low, the lowest in a generation, violent crime is at the lowest levels since 1974, crimes of handling an offensive weapon, including knives, are at a 30-year low and dishonesty crimes, including housebreaking, shoplifting and other thefts, fell by 8% last year alone."

Mr Gormley said: "Community is the key word here - community policing, engagement, empowerment and responsibility.

"Here we see a fantastic example of local people taking pride in where they live and coming together with partners to make a difference.

"The success of this has been supported by community policing teams in Leith and across north Edinburgh."