PROSTITUTION is still causing huge concern among neighbours in a residential area of Bolton.

The problem was raised by residents of Fletcher Street, Great Lever, at tonight’s area forum meeting at Slaterfield Community Centre.

It comes after complaints about prostitutes moving from the town’s established red light area around Coe Street and into residential streets were made at the last area forum meeting in March.

Resident Tracy Earp told the meeting she was ‘sick of it’ and that the back of her property was being littered with condoms.

She added: “This is happening ‘every night, every single day of the week’. It’s horrible.”

Ms Earp also told the meeting that it had taken six weeks for the authorities to clear more than two-dozen condoms from outside her back gate.

Another neighbour, who didn't want to be named, said she was also deeply concerned about the issue.

She said: “It’s sad to listen to them, they are screaming, shouting, being battered – your heart goes out to them. They are being battered and some don’t sound any older than 14 or 15 years old.

“I just wish they could be helped and not go back into it.”

She added that confronting those engaged in illegal activity near her home was not an option for her or many other residents.

“I live on my own, I can’t go out and three and four in the morning telling them to move on. It’s not going to be any good for me. I’m too vulnerable to do that. Even if you someone lives with you, you would not want to do that.”

And speaking after the meeting, she told The Bolton News: “We have had a nightmare with this. You get little children saying ‘Grandma, look at this balloon’ and you can’t take your dog out as he might pick a condom up. It’s just not on.

“I think they should legalise it and let them go somewhere where they are safe.”

PC Andy Sharkey accepted the problem was ‘rife’ but reassured residents that action was being taken to tackle the issue.

He said: “Operation Zero has been running since 2010 which the council has very kindly put quite a lot of money into.

“The problem you will find is you won’t think it’s going on because we use covert tactics. In the last two years we have dealt with 45 offenders.

“That doesn’t get fed back very well for obvious reasons, they don’t want the stigma of admitting being caught. I do accept it’s going on, it’s rife, but it’s a basic resource issue for us.”

PC Sharkey added that, when caught, offenders were ‘educated’ about the plight of prostitutes and the ‘implications, ramifications and legality’ of their behaviour – as well as what would happen to them if they were caught again.