Merseyside is the stalking capital of the UK

In the first half of 2015/16 there were 275 reported cases of people caught following a person within the region.

A massive 109 of these reported incidents took place in Liverpool meaning so far this year there have been 2.3 stalking cases per 10,000 people within the city.

The only one place in England and Wales that topped this crime rate was the Wirral, also in Merseyside, with 2.7 cases per 10,000 people.

In fact, the top four areas with the highest reported rate of stalking in the UK are in Merseyside, with The Wirral taking first place, followed closely by Liverpool, Sefton and St Helens.

Sefton, near the hugely popular student area Smithdown, had a staggering 1.5 cases per 10,000 people.

Examples of stalking include following someone, bombarding them with messages, making unwarranted complaints about them, as well as threats and violence.

The Home Office only started separating stalking in its crime data tables from last year.

Previously it would have been more generally categorised as ‘harassment’ or similar crimes.

Home Secretary, Theresa May said: “The nature of stalking can be delusional and obsessive with offenders going to extreme lengths to contact, follow and monitor their victims.

“I am determined that this Government will do everything possible to identify the fixated nature of stalking behaviour at the earliest opportunity, protect victims and intervene to deter perpetrators before stalking behaviour becomes entrenched.”

Second year Bethany is concerned with the statistics, she told The Tab: “Although I myself haven’t been a victim to stalking, my best friend has.

She was followed home after getting off the bus last year, and it was a really horrible and scary situation for her.”