A NEW website designed to help victims of crime know what the police and other agencies can do to help.

Police and Crime Commissioner Anthony Stansfeld launched the website as part of a new Victims First approach.

"I recently launched my new Police and Crime Plan which reaffirmed my commitment to making sure that victims have access to the support they need to cope and recover from the impact of crime," he said.

"The launch of Victims First and the website is a key milestone in my work in this area and will allow victims to easily find information and support in one place.

"I believe it will be a valuable resource not just for victims but also for people and organisations that come into contact with victims of crime who can now use the website to find and refer people to an appropriate service.

"Victims First will continue to develop over the next year with plans to create a single referral doorway, a specialist counselling service and community signposting points with the aim of simplifying access and improving support for victims."

The website has a directory of numbers for victims to help them receive the support they need.

The site, www.victims-first.org.uk, also offers advice to help people spot hidden crimes including modern slavery, domestic abuse and more.

It also gives people a new way of reporting hate crime without going directly to the police.

Services will be expanded and reviewed throughout the next year.