Nottinghamshire police ranked worst

Inspectors found the service ranked "poor" in its handling of crime, protecting the public from serious harm and improving confidence and satisfaction.

The news came just days after a capability review found "significant weaknesses" in both the force and its governing authority.

A national grade overview released by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) showed Greater Manchester and Lincolnshire also performed badly.

At the other end of the scale, Cleveland, Hertfordshire, Lancashire, Merseyside, Northumbria and Surrey ranked highly.

The figures came from a website - mypolice.org.uk - which brings together a huge compendium of information about forces across England and Wales.

The HMIC site, which will launch publicly on Saturday, aims to give people the most comprehensive overview of police performance ever. It will tell people what risk they face of being shot, stabbed, sexually attacked, burgled or violently assaulted.

Users will be able to compare the risks people face in different areas and uncover how their force ranks. The site also enables taxpayers to examine how much they pay for policing and whether they are getting value for money.

Denis O'Connor, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary, said the website will be "an uncomfortable read for some" but "there is much to celebrate".

He said: "We are providing the public with information about the risk they face from crime and antisocial behaviour where they live, how good their police are at tackling these risks and how much the police cost. It is a one-stop-shop for most information the public want about policing such as how good they are at tackling crime. It's clear and easy to access."