A PURGE to clear prostitutes and clients from busy red light areas has been launched by police.

Plain clothes officers from Blackburn today announced that 15 women were arrested in the first phase of the operation centred on known haunts of prostitutes and their clients on the edge of the town centre.

Blackburn police Inspector Stuart Caley said: "This operation is part of the on-going police campaign to deal with the problems of prostitution and the detrimental effect their behaviour has on ordinary members of the community.

"It is also intended that, in addition to targeting the prostitutes themselves, we will be focusing our attention on their clients whose conduct also has a serious effect on the localities which they frequent.

"These people may wish to consider the long-term consequences of their own actions which may result in them facing possible legal action with the attendant embarrassment this may generate." Of those women arrested on Wednesday night, 14 have been charged with offences of loitering or soliciting for the purposes of prostitution.

They have been granted bail to appear before Blackburn Magistrates Court on October 15 with conditions that they observe a curfew and do not enter a specified area of the town during certain hours.

The clampdown follows a wave of concern by residents reported in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph.

Among areas targeted so far by police are Montague Street, King Street, Stonyhurst Road, Oakenhurst Road, Freckleton Street and Byron Street.

However, police have promised to address the fears of residents in neighbouring areas like Mr Anthony Tomlinson, of Baldwin Street, Bank Top, Blackburn, who has set up a petition calling for action.

Residents on Blackburn's Montague estate also recently decided to take action by noting down car registration numbers.

Their campaign was backed by people and businesses in Sumner Street and Clayton Street. Insp Caley added: "This operation is not to be an isolated one and will continue as long as the problem exists."

Coun Don Rishton, who has campaigned against prostitution in his ward in the past, said: "I fully support the police action. Residents have had to put up with this sort of thing for too long."

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