Crimestoppers is celebrating its best year with a 10 per cent increase in offenders charged - thanks to anonymous tip-offs from the public.

Thames Valley Crimestoppers said 231 people were arrested and charged across Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire in the year to April 1, compared with 210 last year, thanks to calls in confidence to its 0800 555111 number.

However, in Oxfordshire 55 people were charged, four fewer than during 2002-03.

Twenty were charged in the past year in Oxford police area, 20 in north Oxfordshire, and 15 in south Oxfordshire. There was a total of 382 calls which prompted further investigations across the county.

During the last five years, 74 people have been charged in Oxford after anonymous tip-offs, 73 in north Oxfordshire and 69 in the south of the county.

Det Sgt Mark Weston, of Thames Valley Police, said: "Crimestoppers has continued to be a valuable source of information to the police.

"The importance of providing a means for the public to provide information anonymously cannot be underestimated."

Roy Trustram Eve, chairman of Thames Valley Crimestoppers, said: "These results clearly show that people in the Thames Valley are prepared to help fight back against crime and anti-social behaviour to make their communities safer.

"An important indication of this is that more than 14 per cent of items of information from anonymous callers result in an arrest. This is considerably more than the national average of 8.3 per cent."

Crimestoppers can be called free of charge on 0800 555111.