Almost 500 people were stopped and searched in Waltham Forest in April, it has emerged. 

The latest figures released by the Mayor's Office for Policing And Crime show the borough had the fourth highest monthly figure in London, behind Lambeth, Southwark and Westminster. 

The number of stop and searches fell last summer, with around 300 every month between May and September.  

However, the figures rose sharply in October to 456 and have remained at a higher level since.  

Previous figures showed there were 575 stop and searches in Waltham Forest in March, with 101 people arrested. 

A total of 95 people were taken into custody as a result of stop and searches in April.  

The Met's target of a 20 per cent arrest rate as a result of stop and search has not been achieved this year.   

The figures show that of those people stopped, there was almost and equal number of white people and those from ethnic minorities.

It follows previous concerns that members of the black and Asian communities were being disproportionately targeted.   

The latest figures show that in April 374 people were searched for drugs, 47 for weapons, 29 for stolen property and 26 for going equipped for burglary.  

The places with the top arrest rates relating to stop and search in London are Wandsworth at 31.5 per cent, Heathrow Airport at 27.5 per cent, Lewisham at 27 per cent and Enfield and Greenwich at 25.1 per cent.