BOLTON'S police chief says he is doing all he can to protect the town's prostitutes following the murder of two young women working on the streets.

Carly Bateman, aged 17, was strangled and her body was dumped in an alleyway off Crawford Avenue, The Haulgh, last November. Geoffrey Porter, aged 40, from Columbia Road, Heaton, was jailed for life this week for her murder.

Detectives are still hunting the killer of Danielle Moorcroft, aged 21, who was found battered to death at the back of Bolton Community College earlier this year.

Danielle, who was 14 weeks pregnant, was last seen walking across the forecourt of a petrol station on Bridgeman Place at about 1.40am on Saturday, June 1.

Both girls were heroin addicts and were selling their bodies for sex to fund their habits.

In the wake of Carly's murder, police launched an operation targeting prostitution, kerb crawlers and drug dealers.

However, Chief Supt Don Brown said their main aim was more long term.

He said: "By its very nature, prostitution is a very dangerous occupation. We want to help the women return to a more meaningful lifestyle and we work with other agencies to achieve that goal."

Chief Supt Brown said the police could only advise the prostitutes on how to avoid putting themselves in danger.

"There are CCTV cameras in the area, but if a prostitute goes off with a client where she can't get assistance from other girls or the police if she gets in trouble, what can we do?

"We can't have patrols following the girls everywhere they go."

When prostitutes are arrested, they are issued with warning packages which contain helpful hints on how to protect themselves. But Chief Supt Brown said: "We can't account for every possible scenario. All we can do is give advice.

"The best advice is not to turn to prostitution in the first place, but if they do, we are doing all we can to try and help them back into a meaningful lifestyle."

Letters are also sent to kerb crawlers telling them about the possible health risks associated with having sex with prostitutes.

As part of his overhaul of Britain's laws on sex crimes, Home Secretary David Blunkett has announced much stronger powers to deal with child prostitution.

There will be a new offence of commercial sexual exploitation of children which will make it illegal to buy or deal in sex with children, including those aged 16 and 17.

A review of the overall laws regarding prostitution is also to be carried out to create safer neighbourhoods and an escape route for those trapped by vice.