SEX workers in Ellesmere Port are being told they need not suffer in silence.

Following the murders of prostitutes in Bradford and Ipswich, Cllr Pat Merrick was asked to assess whether Cheshire West and Chester Council, the police and health workers are doing enough to protect sex workers in the borough.

A 10-page report by Cllr Merrick (Grange and Rossmore) found there is no longer a red light district in the town. A decade ago prostitutes would roam the streets in the dock area, but massage parlours have taken over as a safer alternative.

She said: “I heard some very sad individual stories which made me all the more determined to ensure our partner agencies work together to ensure vulnerable people in our area are safe and know where to get help.”

Cllr Merrick has called for Cheshire West children’s safeguarding specialists to look into the issue of sexual exploitation of vulnerable young people.

She added: “I know when I was a child in Ellesmere Port that right up to my teen years there was a little red light district. I was surprised that we haven’t got one.

“Our only concern is the health and protection of people involved in the industry.”

EastEnders is currently running a storyline in which character Whitney Dean has got sucked into a world of sexual exploitation. And Cllr Merrick sees it as a great opportunity to root out any examples of similar activity in the town.

She added: “Our worry was a lot of our looked-after children may be tempted into sex work for the reasons Whitney is in EastEnders. It’s not people who are knowingly engaged – it’s people who are more vulnerable who may be coerced.

“The message I would like to give young people is they mustn’t in any way ever be ashamed or afraid to seek advice. They mustn’t feel what they’ve done prevents people wanting to help them. There’s many factors that lead people into dangerous situations.

“A lot of the time they’ve come from homes where they’re not loved. They’re the ones looking for love wherever they can find it and they may mistake sex for love. Some may end up in a spiral where they sell sexual favours for drugs.

“A lot of the people will not even see that it’s a problem. You maybe don’t think it’s particularly wrong because you’re all mates and before you know it you end up pregnant or with a sexually transmitted disease.”

Cllr Merrick urged people trapped in sexual exploitation to seek help at their GP or by speaking in confidence to staff at the Healthy Living Centre, Civic Hall, Civic Way (0151 356 6970).

If anyone disagrees with the findings they can email pat.merrick@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk.