A ROLLING crackdown on Bolton’s on-street vice trade has resulted in almost 70 kerb-crawlers being arrested by police this year.

Police patrolling Bolton’s red light district have arrested 68 men who were looking to pay for sex.

Of those, 64 received a police caution and were made to attend a “kerb-crawlers’ session” at Bolton police station where they were told about the effect kerb crawling has on neighbourhoods — and how women are forced into prostitution.

The remaining four were charged with soliciting a person from a vehicle for the purposes of prostitution and were sent to court.

Inspector Phil Spurgeon, who is in charge of Bolton’s central division and has taken the lead in the fight against on-street prostitution, said: “We are constantly running operations to target kerb crawlers and this year we have seen a huge improvement in terms of the level of visible on-street prostitution.

“But we are not going to rest on our laurels. We are only half-way through our two-year plan and we are sticking to our aim of totally getting rid of on-street prostitution.”

The figure was revealed following a proposed change in the law making paying for sex with prostitutes controlled by pimps a criminal offence.

Insp Spurgeon welcomed the Government’s plans, put forward by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, which would mean people who knowingly pay illegally trafficked women for sex could face rape charges.

Ms Smith also wants more kerb crawlers to be prosecuted and police to get new powers to close brothels.

Insp Spurgeon said: “I welcome the shift in emphasis that the new legislation brings, in focusing attention on the kerb crawlers and exiting vulnerable women from the sex trade.

“It reflects the vision and aims of the existing Bolton Be Safe Strategic Partnership approach.”

Buying or selling sex is legal but many prostitution-related activities, such as soliciting and pimping, are not.

This week, members of the Women’s Institute are being recruited to clamp down on adverts soliciting sex in newspapers.

The Government has urged WI members to look out for adverts selling sex and write letters of complaint to editors if they find any.

Newsquest, which owns The Bolton News made the decision not to publish advertisements for massage parlours or escort agencies from July.”