Police in Scotland are dealing with a hate crime every 90 minutes.

New figures obtained by the Evening Times show the number of crimes motivated by prejudice increased by more than 6 per cent in a year.

A total of 5344 hate related crime incidents were reported between April last year and January 2015, compared to 5036 reports during 2013/14.

In the 10 months until January this year, a hate crime was reported on average every hour and a half.

Hate crime includes race attacks or abuse as well as crime motivated by prejudice against religion, disability, sexual orientation, transgender identity and sectarianism.

Figures show there were four times as many reports of anti-Semitic incidents in Greater Glasgow.

Between April 2014 and January 2015 there were 16 reports, compared to four the previous year.

Islamophobic incidents have remained around the same level in Glasgow - there were 34 reports between April 2014 and January 2015 and 35 the previous year.

Nationwide there were 115 reports of hate incidents against Muslims and 33 anti-Semitic incidents in the 10 months to January 2015.

Figures for the previous year were not available.

Raza Sadiq, of the South Side Active Life Club, is helping to tackle the roots of hate crime.

He said: "These hate crimes are happening too often.

"I know a woman who had water thrown at her on a bus because she was wearing hijab.

"We need to find a way to tackle this and get through to people."

Ben Freeman, of the charity From Tomorrow For Today (FYFT) which is trying to stamp out prejudice, said this could be the tip of the iceberg.

He said: "The figures are really staggering but these are only the ones we know about.

"When you consider what people don't report the real figure could be much higher.

"People get shouted at in the street - and that is abuse that could be reported."

Inspector Nadine Aliane of Police Scotland's Safer Communities Department said the statistics show worldwide events, such as the Charlie Hebdo attack, can lead to an increase in hate crime towards certain communities.

She said: "Police Scotland is committed to tackling hate crime robustly, whilst dealing with it in a sensitive way that meets the needs of individuals, families and communities.

"These statistics highlight that many people have the confidence to report hate crime but Police Scotland recognise that it is under reported and we therefore continue to encourage all victims to report it to us through a variety of means, including directly to us, online or through a Third Party Organisation."