FED-UP hoteliers and residents living in Bournemouth's red light district plan to police the streets themselves in a desperate bid to rid their area of prostitutes.

Members of the East Cliff community say they will withhold their business rates and council tax, in an effort to force civic leaders and police into action.

Threats to kill and scare tactics from prostitutes and pimps, damage to property, hotel guests frightened and forced to check out, and their teenage daughters hassled daily by punters - East Cliff hoteliers and residents are adamant that enough is enough.

They claim that working girls have increased from 15 to 61 in the past few years.

At the first public meeting of Residents Against Prostitutes (RAP), hoteliers and householders agreed to take positive direct action.

"Enough is enough. The council and police have to know that we mean business," said one hotelier in Southcote Road.

"We had a school group staying here last week. The headmistress was so shocked that she has told the schools tour operator and police that Bournemouth is not a place for children to visit.

"Last night I had eight girls outside my house within 100 yards."

A female hotelier said: "Twice last week I was verbally abused and my life threatened. I'm now too frightened to walk down the street, even to buy a paper."

"My daughter and her friends are regularly hassled by punters," said another hotelier from Derby Road. "I telephone the police until I turn blue. They usually turn up several hours later."

RAP is also organising a petition to council leaders, police, John Butterfill MP, the Home Secretary David Blunkett, ward councillors and police chiefs.

A spokesperson from the Bournemouth Private Hotels and Guest House Association said: "There's sympathy from all hoteliers in the association over the sad state on the East Cliff.

"We all condemn it and wish the police would do their job."

Cllr Harry Cutler, cabinet member for developing communities and tackling crime at Bournemouth council, said: "Unfortunately, the council has no powers at all to tackle prostitution and so I would suggest that the withholding of council tax payments will do no good at all.

"We have been working closely with police to put in place measures that encourage working girls to get off the streets. We have been successful in securing £50,000 government funding to ensure CCTV systems are linked to the nearest police station."

Chief Inspector Nick Hazelton said: "We are doing as much as we can do in that area. This has been a historical problem."

He said they were tackling it on two fronts - enforcement (nine prostitutes were arrested last month) and rehabilitation - six prostitutes have been rehabilitated.

Anyone wishing to help collect petition signatures or take part in the street watch should contact 01202 780238.