Street-by-street crime maps designed to give people the information they need to hold their local police to account went online today.

Home Secretary Theresa May said the maps, accessible online at www.police.uk, would help people find out what was really going on in their area.

The Home Secretary denied that making such detailed information available would drive down house prices in a particular area.

"It's not the existence of a map on a website that affects it," she said. "This is giving people a real tool, real power to see that something is being done about crime in their area.

"This doesn't make them frightened, it actually makes them feel a part of what is happening. This will give them the real facts and figures.

"This will make the police more accountable. It gives people a real tool to hold the police to account."

Mrs May said the site, which cost £300,000 to develop, came "from a real feeling that people have lost confidence in national crime figures".

Policing Minister Nick Herbert also insisted that the more detailed information would not increase the fear of crime.

It is the first time such detailed crime maps have been available for an entire country anywhere in the world.

Glovers Court in Preston and its surrounding area is the most crime-ridden place in England and Wales, according to the new figures.

More than 150 crimes and incidents of anti-social behaviour were reported on the street or nearby in December alone, including 44 violent crimes.

There were 152 incidents of reported crime or anti-social behaviour on or near Glovers Court in December, including 44 violent crimes, 73 instances of anti-social behaviour, a robbery, a burglary and 33 other crimes. It is the highest figure for any street in England and Wales during December.