Crime was at its lowest level in years after a slow December rounded off a very quiet year for police in Beer and Branscombe.

The only incident in either village last month was criminal damage caused to a vehicle parked in Clapps Lane in Beer which had the air let out of its tyres over several weeks.

This is down from three offences in November, and the same amount for December 2010.

In neighbouring Branscombe there were no reported crimes, nor were there for November.

The number of crimes for the Seaton rural patch overall for the month was nine, down one from the same month last year

And it was only close to double figures after seven crimes in Colyton during December, after two assaults, two burglaries, two incidents of criminal damage and an offence committed during the Boxing Day hunt

Without those crimes the final month of 2011 would have been an extremely quiet one for officers, who still enjoyed the lowest total crime in the area for seven years.

PC Steve Speariett said: “The Neighbourhood team would like to thank the communities, partners and parish councils for their support over the last year, and together we hope to reduce crime further in 2012.”

The neighbourhood beat manager said every month apart from June and July saw the crime totals below the police’s long term average, and 2011 saw the lowest ever crime totals since at least 2004.

The reference number for the vehicle damage in Beer is KN/11/499, call Seaton Police Station on 101 if you have any information, or e-mail seaton@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk.