WHEN Leanne Battersby, played by Bury-born actress Jane Danson, walked back on to Coronation Street, mum Janice was proud that her daughter's job as an estate agent was keeping her in a life of luxury.

But it soon became clear that "conferences" at swanky hotels were not what they appeared to be.

Rather than selling houses, Leanne was selling herself - as a high-class escort.

Of course, high-class escorts are nothing new. In the 1960s, Secretary of State for War John Profumo became involved with call girl Christine Keeler.

The affair became a national scandal as Keeler was also sleeping with Yevgeny Ivanov, a Soviet naval attache, and because Profumo lied to parliament about his involvement with her. The affair was later made into the film, Scandal.

More recently, 2005 saw the publishing sensation Belle de Jour: The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl, and the following year the papers were full of revelations that Big Brother contestant Nikki Graham once worked as an escort.

Serving tea and toast in the local cafe might generate the odd 50 pence tip, but it seems that offering "companionship" will guarantee more substantial rewards.

Escorting may be a questionable career path, but it is a surprisingly popular one.

Cynics describe it as nothing more than the sale of sex. Others, who claim there is a difference between street-walking prostitutes and high-class escorts, see it as companionship for the needy male - or female.

One escort who says escorting is nothing like prostitution is Jessica, a 30-year-old attached woman.

She has been escorting in the North-west - including Bolton, Westhoughton, Chorley and Bury - and internationally, for 10 years.

She said: "There are high-class girls who are meeting nice, business types, or the normal guy at home, and the two - escorting and prostitution - are nothing alike.

"Prostitutes stand on street corners and, no disrespect to them, many today are drug addicts selling whatever for a quick fix. That's really sad.

"In escorting, if sex does take place, then it's between two adults."

Jessica started her career in escorting while managing table dancing clubs overseas.

She said: "I've always been a confident person and have run businesses from a really young age.

"I used to manage table dancers when I was working in Europe - including Switzerland, Germany and Austria - one of the owners of the establishment introduced me to escorting."

The transition saw Jessica go from table-top dancer to international jetsetter.

She said: "Basically, a client picks up a newspaper, they like what they read - it says high-class mature ladies of a certain age' - and they then ring me up to make an appointment.

"I speak to the guy first of all, he will tell me what he's looking for, what he's got planned, and if it's something that I'm interested in doing, then I make the appointment.

"Dates can come from anyone at anytime. Again, it depends on the person. If it's someone flying into the UK like a businessman, he can have business meetings all day and only be able to book that night.

"A lot of people have their own boundaries, but that is confidential between client and escort," she said.

Booking appointments with escorts is simple enough, but there can be dangers associated with meeting strangers in unfamiliar locations.

And while you might expect an escort to carry a stun gun, pepper spray and a rape alarm, Jessica said dangerous situations are few and far between.

"If a guy is in the hotel then he's got to give you his full name and reservation number," she said.

"We then ring through to the hotel to make sure that the guy has checked in and that what we have is his correct name and reservation number, and then we take it from there."

Jessica said there are several must-have qualities to becoming a successful escort?

"You have got to be pretty open-minded and level-headed," she said.

"I know what I'm looking for in another person so you've got to get it right.

"Image is 100 per cent important when meeting a client, along with discretion.

"I'm always well dressed. I'll always wear a suit - either pants and a jacket, or a skirt and jacket - unless it's a function and they ask you to wear an evening dress." said Jessica.

Like image, personality too, is an important factor to being an escort.

Jessica said: "Obviously there are girls out there at 18 who are escorting but a lot of business guys are looking for a girl who's got conversation, or who is well travelled, who can sit across a table and hold a decent conversation.

"He could be flying in from any European country, or even the US, so no disrespect to an 18-year-old, but he's not going to want some little girl who is too busy painting her nails."

And with clients flying in from abroad, there are several perks to being an escort.

Jessica said: "I regularly receive extravagant gifts from clients like a diamond watch, earrings, perfume, lots of sunglasses and designer clothes - including Gucci, Dior, Versace and Chanel. I've also been to the States a lot - LA and New York - not necessarily with the same guy.

"Let's just say I lead a comfortable life."

And as for prices . . .

"You're looking at anything from £150 an hour upwards," said Jessica.

"It's up to the client, so it is not necessary to state a fixed price because if somebody wanted to book you to take you for a week in the Caribbean, that's between the two people what fee they come up with."

Jessica was escorting long before she met her current partner, whom she says is at ease with her profession.

"He is a firm believer in people making their own choices in life and who is to say any different? It's a job just like any other."

Not all men are so understanding.

And there is a flip side to the escort business in that many people see it as prostitution.

With national charities such as Urban Outreach - a drop-in centre in Salop Street, Bolton, which offers advice, counselling and guidance to sex workers who want to leave the trade, is Jessica really a modern, liberated woman?

Quote from Urban Outreach here ...

Jessica said: "My view is that there is never a way for prostitutes to make that transition from a street prostitute to an escort safely and successfully.

"Drugs will kill them eventually and if they're not on the street, they will turn to stealing - I think they see the street as a better option.

"Ask yourself why they are not in a parlour working? One, they are not old enough or, two, they do not wish to take the test because in most parts of Europe you need to have blood tests, sexually transmitted infection tests including Aids.

"They are not only putting their lives in danger, but their customers' too."

Of course, everyone has their boundaries as to what they will do for money, or how happy they are with using their bodies to earn it.

And back in the world of Coronation Street, it seems that Leanne is tempted to leave her lucrative job - so she can settle down with a nice man.