CYBER-attacks in Gloucestershire have cost businesses nearly £310,000 a month last year, figures from Action Fraud reveal.

The average cost per cyber crime in the county was also revealed to be £3944.71. There were around 78 incidents reported each month between March last year and this year.

But Gloucestershire Constabulary’s safer cyber coordinator Ian Maxted warned that the figures only represented around 20 per cent of cybercrime committed.

He said: “Research suggests that around 80 per cent of cybercrimes that are being committed still aren’t being reported.

"It means we don’t have a true understanding of the type of crime happening in Gloucestershire and businesses are also leaving themselves exposed.

“We are running a series of workshops at the Gloucestershire Business Show to help local companies really understand the threat from cyber-attacks and we will also be on hand to offer advice and support.”