At least six people a day were stalked or harassed every day in Gwent last year, new figures have shown.

The Office for National Statistics has released police recorded crime data on stalking and harassment at a local level for the first time.

Figures show that 3,416 cases of stalking or harassment were recorded during 2017 across the five local authorities in Gwent.

Gwent Police said the impact such offences can have on victims can be "devastating and long-lasting".

Three local authority areas in Gwent saw an increase of over 100 percent in terms of cases recorded, but a spokesman from the ONS advised these changes could be down to improved reporting by the police.

Newport and Caerphilly were the worst affected areas, with over two cases of stalking or harassment recorded every day by Gwent Police last year.

Recorded cases from Torfaen and Blaenau Gwent showed that at least one case of stalking and harassment was recorded each day, while in Monmouthshire the average figure for last year fell just below one.

In Newport, 1,030 cases of stalking, harassment or malicious communications were reported, which was an increase of 108 percent over the past two years, from 496 cases in 2015.

Over the same period, 432 cases of stalking, harassment or malicious communications were reported in Blaenau Gwent, which was an increase of 115 percent over the past two years, up from 201 cases in 2015.

In Torfaen, 640 cases of stalking, harassment or malicious communications were reported, showing an increase of 128 percent, up from 281 cases in 2015.

Caerphilly saw 1,017 cases of stalking, harassment or malicious communications reported, which was an increase of 77 percent, up from 575 cases in 2015.

In Monmouthshire stalking and harassment has increased by 49 percent over the past two years, with 297 cases reported compared to 200 cases in 2015.

Detective Superintendent Nikki Brain of Gwent Police said: “In today’s digital society there are more opportunities to contact people on mobile phones, social media and other online channels can be used as tools for stalking and harassment.

“Online threats, ‘cyber-stalking’ and persistent or upsetting calls, voicemails and messages, can be just as intimidating and harmful as traditional forms of stalking and harassment.

"The impact these offences can have on victims can be devastating and long-lasting. It is a priority for us to support victims of stalking and harassment and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.

“We’d encourage anyone who believes they are a victim of stalking, should report their concerns by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.”

Of the three crimes included in the figures stalking is by far the most serious, and can include following someone, repeatedly going uninvited to their home and monitoring their use of phones and computers.

However, charities say the scale of stalking is unknown as it sometimes gets classified as harassment by police forces.

A spokesman for the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, a charity which campaigns to reduce the risk of violence and aggression, said: "Recording stalking and harassment in the same data set does not give a clear indication of the prevalence of these individual, distinct crimes."

“Stalking is still being vastly underreported, as there is a huge disparity between the recorded crime statistics and the ONS' more reliable national figures - the Crime Survey of England and Wales.”

The UK Government has said it is giving £4.1 million to the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to better educate police officers about stalking and harassment.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: "Stalking can have terrifying consequences, which is why this Government is working to protect victims and stop perpetrators at the earliest opportunity."

“The bill will create new civil Stalking Protection Orders to help victims earlier.

"These orders will make it possible to intervene in cases before concerning behaviours become entrenched and escalate in severity, especially in cases of 'stranger stalking'."

The spokesman confirmed breaching the order could result in up to five years in prison.