The suicide rate in Herefordshire has risen slightly over the last three years, bucking the trend of lower rates across the country.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that there were 59 suicides in Herefordshire between 2015 and 2017, at a rate of 11.7 deaths per 100,000 people.

Local rates are measured over a three-year period. Between 2012 and 2014, there were 9.6 suicides registered per 100,000 people.

The rate over the last three years was higher than that across the West Midlands as a whole, where 9.5 suicides were registered per 100,000 people.

Overall, there were 10.1 suicides per 100,000 people in the UK last year. Of 5,821 suicides registered last year 4,382 were men, a rate of 15.5 deaths per 100,000 men. However, the male suicide rate was at its lowest level on record in 2017.

Samaritans said efforts to reduce stigma around male mental health may have contributed to the reduction, but added that men are still three times more likely to take their own lives than women.

The Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123, or via email at: [email protected].