More than 5,000 new cases of FGM recorded in the last year – and over ONE HUNDRED involving British-born women and girls

MORE THAN 5,000 newly recorded cases of Female Genital Mutilation were reported in England in the past year.

And 112 of them were involving women and girls who were born in the UK.

shows that the most common age to have the practise done was between the ages of 5 and 9 years old, and 95 per cent of all new cases recorded said the practise took case before they reached 18.

Female Genital Mutilation refers to procedures which intentionally cause injury to genial organs for non-medical reasons.

It has been illegal in the UK since 1985 but there has STILL not been one successful prosecution.

One was brought to trial but both people were cleared in that case.

The law was strengthened in 2003 to try and stop girls travelling from the UK to have the process abroad.

And in 2015 it became mandatory for all health services to report any cases they were aware of - whether the practise was new, or took place many years ago.

This could be the reason for an increase in the numbers.

Last year MPs on the Commons home affairs committee said it was "beyond belief" that no one had been convicted of the practise, and there must be "stronger sanctions".

They said no successful convictions would mean that women and girls would be deterred from coming forward.

The latest data from between April 2016 and March 2017 showed 9,179 attendances at NHS trusts and GP practises where FGM was identified - and 5,391 of those are new cases (where the NHS was first made aware of the patient having experienced the practise).

The total number of attendances featuring those who had experienced FGM were 9,179.