Violent crime in Dartmouth went up by almost 20 percent in August compared to last year – thanks to the town's regatta.

However, in September it plummeted by almost seven per cent compared to the same month in 2012, the latest police figures have revealed.

In August, there were 13 assaults reported, ranging from a confrontation between two eight-year-old children to an alleged offence of causing grievous bodily harm.

More than a third of those offences took place during the three or fours day that the regatta was in full swing, the town's police inspector Andy Tomlinson told town councillors.

The incident involving the eight-year-olds was reported as an assault but the police ended up taking no action because both children were under the age of criminal responsibility.

Insp Tomlinson told a meeting of the full council: 'We are duty bound to record all allegations of crime.'

The other assaults included one woman punching another in a pub; one man punching another on the town's embankment – possibly during a stag party celebration; a common assault where a woman was pushed over by a man in a pub and an allegation of actual bodily harm when a woman was grabbed and pushed by a work colleague where 'inquiries are on going,' said Insp Tomlinson.

Two allegations of common assault centred around a parent using 'excessive restraint' on their two children in a Dartmouth supermarket.

Insp Tomlinson said that the youngsters from the 'visiting family' had allegedly been 'spanked' and the parent had been cautioned by the police.

The incidents connected to the regatta involved an assault on a police officer; a suspected case of grievous bodily harm involving a man who fell into the Boatfloat; an assault on a fairground security officer; a man punched in the face and a man assaulted by his girlfriend's former partner.

The month saw a total of 49 offences compared to 38 in August last year.

Ten people ended up being arrested and eight were dealt with by other means.

In September, the police in Dartmouth recorded 22 crimes compared to 31 last year with two arrests and one person dealt with by other means.

The three assaults recorded involved a common assault and an incident of actual bodily harm stemming from the same domestic row where one person has been arrested and charged and a second domestic incident where the suspect was also arrested and charged.

Insp Tomlinson said there was one house burglary which was involved the theft of power tools from a home that was being renovated.