Operation Disperse, a crackdown on nuisance sex workers which ran in St Matthew's – part of Fulwood's policing patch – has now joined another initiative to combat similar problems in St George's, Fishwick and Avenham.

Over the last six weeks, the new collaboration has seen 20 cautions issued to sex workers and nine have been arrested. Ten kerb crawlers have been warned.

Operation Disperse's own successes saw 36 cautions handed out and 13 women arrested in Preston's red light district in October, as well as 13 kerb crawlers warned.

Arrests were made for a range of offences, including soliciting, drugs and breach of bail conditions.

News of the enhanced operation comes after residents in several areas continue to report prostitutes encroaching on to residential areas of the city to tout for trade.

This month, residents attending a PACT meeting for Fishwick made it a priority to tackle sex workers spotted in the Mercer Street and Cromford Walk areas.

Insp Paddy O'Neill, of Fulwood Police, said: "Operation Disperse has been merged with a wider joint policing operation targeting kerb crawlers and street sex workers active within the St Matthew's, St George's, Fishwick and Avenham wards.

"Through the support of our partners in the Multi-Agency Working Group and the community, we aim to continue targeting persistent offenders and reducing the number of offences committed, including those against the workers themselves.

"The aim is to reduce offences and reduce the disruption caused to communities."

Residents have told the Evening Post of a catalogue of anti-social behaviour involving prostitutes near their homes.

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