Attacks against Jewish people have risen by almost two thirds since last year.

The Community Security Trust (CST) recorded 260 incidents of anti-semitism in Greater Manchester last year, a rise of 65 per cent from 2008.

Fifty-nine attacks took place in the Bury area, including Prestwich and Whitefield; with 75 incidents in Salford and 51 in Manchester.

The CST are blaming the increase on heightened tensions after the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in January last year.

Across the country, there were 924 anti-semitic incidents - the highest annual total since 1984.

The body classifies as an anti-semitic incident any malicious act aimed at Jewish people, organisations or property, where there is evidence that the act has anti-semitic motivation or content, or the victim was targeted because they are (or are believed to be) Jewish.

In March, a visibly Jewish man was verbally abused in the area after he took his children to a play area and in May, two white youths attacked a Jewish family in the street.

And earlier this week, a mother and son were convicted of carrying out a series of racist attacks on Jewish people by driving past shouting abuse and spraying them with liquid.

Dean Parker, 22, and his mum Shameem Parker spent two days driving around the Broughton Park area of Salford targeting members of the Jewish community - including children.

The pair were in a Fiat Doblo driven by Barry Clark-Millar, when the incidents happened between 8 and 10 June last year.

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Dean Parker pleaded guilty to eight charges of racially aggravated common assault.

Clark-Millar, 52, pleaded guilty to eight charges of the same offence.

Parker's mother, Shameem, 52, admitted one charge.

The Crown Prosecution Service is now to seek anti-social behaviour orders against all three.

Louis Rapaport, a Jewish representative on Greater Manchester's CPS Community Involvement Panel, said: "The Jewish community - like any other community - must be free to live their lives without fear of verbal or physical attack.

"It is important that the CPS and other agencies are taking positive steps in the right direction to combat ant-semitism whenever and wherever it arises."