RETIRED police inspector Harry Bretherton has a strong point today when he criticises the force for effectively "allowing" prostitutes to tout openly for business in the Bank Top area of Blackburn.

As he says, women ply their trade at night in town centre streets all over the country.

But to have them soliciting openly on residential streets in the afternoon as pupils are making their way home from nearby schools is another matter.

Centuries have proved that no amount of strict policing is ever going to stamp out prostitution. Women will merely move from one area to another if police attention becomes too oppressive.

Lancashire police say they are working "to try to find a solution for the benefit of residents and traders without displacing prostitutes to another area".

In a number of other countries, notably Holland, Germany and Australia, a legalised form of prostitution with licensed brothels has proved effective. A leading borough councillor has also called for the introduction of a system which gets women off the streets, out of the control of criminals and into an environment where stringent health controls can check the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Some will be offended by the mere mention of such a matter but perhaps following this route is the only real way to solve the problem in our midst.