HATE crime does not necessarily need to be reported to the police.

Victims of abuse or violence based on their race, gender or sexuality can now raise their worries to Bolton Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB).

The CAB has become a Third Party Reporting Centre and its staff and volunteers are receiving training in how to spot that a hate crime has been committed in the people they serve.

Their new status took affect on January 22 at a launch timed to coincide with Hate Crime Awareness Week.

Hate crime continues to have an impact in Bolton.

In the 12 months leading up to March 2014, there were 379 reports of hate crime in the town.

Richard Wilkinson, chief officer at Bolton CAB, said: "We will typically get people with a range of different problems.

"Often they might come to us with a housing issue, saying that they want to move.

"When we dig deeper it transpired there were issues surrounding neighbours and what particularly group they are from.

"We often find that these issues have not been reported to the police.

"The people do not realise they have been victims of hate crime.

"The CAB is generally trusted by the public and this is about making sure people know there are different channels they can go to."

Bolton Council, GMP and voluntary groups and charities have joined forces to mark Hate Crime Awareness Week between January 26 and February 1,

Over the coming months, many more staff from organisations located throughout the borough will be trained to take reports of hate crime.

Det Insp Charlotte Cadden said: "This is a great idea. We hope staff here will be using our new hate crime training package that we have just devised.

"We have got to dig deeper. You do not always have to go through a court process, there are other things that we can do to resolve problems in communities."

Mr Wilkinson added: "Hate crime can go from one end of the scale to the other.

"You hear of absolutely horrific cases involving violence to lower level things such as bullying and persecution.

"For example, we have had people come in wanting to be rehoused because they have been bullied for their sexuality.

"And some aspects of the ethnic community, particularly if they are in areas with low levels of ethnicity, can suffer from persecution.

"It might merely be having things said to them in shops, but it is still unacceptable."

Cllr Derek Burrows, cabinet member for community safety, said: “Hate crime is completely unacceptable and we are working with our partners to end it completely.

"We hope that the events and awareness raising activities we are organising as part of this week will raise awareness of hate crime and encourage people to take a stand against it.”