THE NSPCC helpline has seen a 68 percent rise in the number of cases serious enough to refer to external agencies in Swindon over the past four years, figures revealed yesterday.

New statistics from the free 24-hour helpline showed 146 contacts were passed on in 2015/16 compared with 87 in 2012/13 when the Jimmy Savile scandal first came to light.

Contacts from the public concerned about neglect of a child which were referred rose from 35 in the same period to 58, a rise of 66 percent.

Referrals because of physical abuse rose from 17 to 36 - a rise of 112 per cent and the number of contacts passed on because of emotional abuse has increased by more than a third from 22 to 30.

Referrals because of sexual abuse more than doubled, rising from seven to 15.

Child behaviour concerns rose from three to six while adult health and behaviour dropped from two to one.

In Wiltshire the rise in the number of cases being serious enough for referral was considerably less at only two percent although the cases involving sexual abuse rose from 37-39 over the four-year period and emotional abuse remaining at 40.

Referrals for neglect were down from 94 to 90 and physical abuse dropped from 61 to 60.

Concern for child behaviour rose from six to seven and adult health and behaviour rose from three to six.

Nationally seven in every ten calls to the NSPCC's helpline over the last year were serious enough to be referred to the police and councils.

The charity received 33,333 calls from worried adults - around 100 a day that were deemed so important they were escalated to agencies such as the social services and police.

This accounted for around 70 percent of 48,949 calls to the helpline, 40 percent more than the 23,733 in 2012/13.

Concerns included fears about young people who were victims of sexual abuse and children living in squalid conditions, along with concerns about starving toddlers and youngsters trapped in slavery.

Earlier this month the charity revealed its helpline received 10 calls a day on average from people worried about children living in a dangerous or risky home.

The charity said the figures showed a growing refusal from the public to turn a blind eye over child welfare, and reflected a greater demand for action to prevent child abuse.

An NSPCC spokesman for the Swindon branch of the charity said: “These figures reveal a nation that is more alive to the issues of child abuse following recent high profile scandals and the ongoing investigation into non-recent child abuse.

“They have become increasingly concerned and aware of the tell-tale signs of abuse and neglect in children and our helpline is an invaluable service for people worried about the safety of a young person.

“But when people are worried, and feel they need to speak to someone, they can be reassured they will be listened to and taken seriously.”