Prostitutes in Medway’s red light district are being offered a chance to turn their lives around in a new initiative being offered by police.

Officers will make daily visits to the New Road area, in Chatham, to persuade prostitutes to sign up to the package of help, which includes a drug treatment programme and support from housing, health and education officials.

Insp Noel Stanley said: "We are going to the root of the problem by offering the girls a way out and an olive branch.

"They can either choose to work towards an exit route from prostitution or they will be arrested and made to make changes.

"Their sentence will include attending drug rehabilitation courses."

According to Medway Police, prostitution is one of the key issues raised by residents at Partners and Community Together (PACT) meetings because of the associated problems like soliciting, noise and drugs.

The ongoing problem has been in the area for over a century

The operation will see police officers working closely with the Medway Drugs and Alcohol Action Team, who approved funding for the project in September last year.