POLICE say 48 people were charged with selling class A drugs in South Worcestershire in the year to March.

Only one of the charges, for possession and supplying of heroin, crack cocaine and ecstasy, relates to an offender from Malvern.

Worcester accounts for 22, with 12 in Evesham, nine in Droitwich and four in Pershore. Police spokesman Richard Bull admitted there was an imbalance.

"We appreciate that but these things come and go and there is no fixed pattern to them," he said. "When we get reports of alleged drug dealing in Malvern we deal with it in the same way as anywhere else."

Mr Bull added when it came to drug-related offences, a lot of information came from the public.

"We act upon the information we are given. Sometimes you can get an immediate result and sometimes it takes a lot of effort," he said. "These things fluctuate and who knows what the next 12 months will hold. It could well be that there are a number of other activities in Malvern under investigation at the moment."

Of the 48 people charged, the longest sentences imposed were five years for a Pershore man for supplying heroin and a Worcester man for possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Det Sgt Paul Hardman, of the CID drugs team, said the statistics were good news, adding that 14 more offenders had been charged since April 1.

"The figures for last year and now for the first part of this, clearly demonstrate that illegal drugs remains a prime target for South Worcestershire Police," he said.