A giant graffiti swastika - painted in Prestwich during a Jewish holy day - was one of the dozens of anti-Semitic incidents in Bury last year.

In 2022, more anti-Semitic incidents were reported in Bury than in any other part of Greater Manchester, including the city centre.

The Community Security Trust, a charity that monitors antisemitic hate crime, has released a report on anti-Semitism in Greater Manchester which includes a case study from Prestwich.

Of Greater Manchester’s 210 anti-Semitic incidents recorded in 2022, 56 happened in Bury, 51 in the City of Manchester, 51 in Salford, 11 in Trafford and eight in Stockport.

The example within the report highlights an incident in October in Drinkwater Park, Prestwich, an area where there is a large Jewish population.

Read more: Anti-Semitic graffiti spray-painted at park and football pitches set on fire

Graffiti appeared ahead of Yom Kippur, the Jewish faith’s holiest day, with a large swastika painted on an area of pavement.

The graffiti was condemned as "sinister" and "not representative of this area" by Cllr Alan Quinn at the time.

The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region spoke about the report adding that while they were concerned, there has been a slight drop in numbers since the previous year.

A spokesperson said: “When taken in historical context, Jewish people have been subjected to a significant number of hate crimes across Greater Manchester.

Bury Times: The headstone of Rabbi Yehuda Zev Segal’s grave was desecrated during an attack on Philips Park Jewish Cemetery in February 2019. The headstone of Rabbi Yehuda Zev Segal’s grave was desecrated during an attack on Philips Park Jewish Cemetery in February 2019. (Image: public)

“We are an outward-facing and vibrant community.

"However, we are once again left dealing with a worrying number of anti-Semitic incidents.

“This is coupled with the fact our buildings are located behind gates with security guards.

"Naturally, this has the potential to negatively affect our community’s confidence.

“Alongside the Community Security Trust, we regularly engage with the Greater Manchester Metro Mayor, Police and Crime Commissioner, Chief Constable and Greater Manchester Police.

"We thank them for their long-standing and unwavering support in protecting our community.”

Within Greater Manchester’s data, 10 of the recorded incidents happened on property over which the British Transport Police has jurisdiction.

An additional 10 were online incidents where either the victim or offender is known to be based in Manchester, but it was not possible to pinpoint a specific location within the region.

A concerning trend which has also been highlighted within the report is the high number of anti-Jewish abuse being directed towards children.

Back in 2017, Bury was revealed to be an "anti-Semitic hotspot", accounting for 35 per cent of the Greater Manchester total incidents.

There had been a reported 92 incidents in the borough, showing a clear decrease over the past four years with 2022 figures showing 56 incidents.