PROSTITUTES plying their trade in a Preston industrial estate should be allowed to stay there, according to a local councillor.

Councillor Albert Richardson believes the police should stop moving the hookers around town and allow them to receive help from social and health workers.

Kerb-crawlers use the area, around St Mary's Road and Fletcher Road, after a police crackdown on prostitution in the Deepdale district forced them to move on.

Now Coun Richardson is calling for the police to lay off so that the street girls can get help from health and social workers.

Coun Richardson said: "I am not condoning prostitution. What I am suggesting is that if they stay in one place for a while, they stand a better chance of getting help from the health and social workers who are trying to help them.

"A lot of these girls weren't born prostitutes. Society made them that way so society should be there to help them.

"They aren't in a residential area at the moment. I think we should take this opportunity to give them the chance to get help to combat their problems, many of which are fuelled by drug addictions."

He added that threats from the police to move them on and take notes on all cars travelling near the prostitutes simply added to the problem.

He said: "These are young girls being told what to do by much older men. They need our help."

One teenage prostitute, who 'works' the St Mary's Road area at night, said: "It makes a change to get support. I am not doing this through choice.

"We don't disturb people here so there should be no need for people to complain. At the moment, if I am arrested, I can be back on the street within a couple of hours."

Sgt Steve Hobin, of Fulwood Police, said: "We are working with various agencies to provide help for them.

"But we will not tolerate any offence being committed and if any are detected, arrests will be made."

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