Reports relating to as many as 18 brothels have been made to Havering Police in the past year, new figures show.

Strange men knocking on the wrong door late at night and condoms strewn outside shops are but two horror situations that triggered reports in the 12 months to October.

Figures obtained by a Freedom of Information (FoI) request reveal 51 reports referring to brothels in Havering were logged by police.

Thirty-nine relate to suspected brothels. The other 12 are logs which mention the word “brothel”, such as “male known to frequent brothels”.

Altogether 18 locations around the borough have aroused enough suspicion for reports to be made.

In Suttons Lane, Hornchurch, residents claim they have been living with the consequences of nearby brothel for more than two years.

One shopkeeper, who asked not to be named, said: “We know it’s there because we see condoms and used drugs outside there, and men all day long. It’s not nice.”

He added: “I’ve had my shop now for two to three years, and it’s been there since before me.”

A Suttons Lane resident, who lives just two doors down from the alleged brothel, said “strange men” sometimes mistakenly knock on her door.

“I never dreamed that there would be a problem like this in the area,” she said. “It’s just outside Hornchurch town centre - it’s a nice area.

“I certainly did not expect to have strange men knocking on my door at all times of the evening.”

A Havering Police spokesman said: “The figure of 51 could relate to the use of the word ‘brothel’ and does not necessarily mean there are 51 addresses which are believed to be brothels.

“We have received reports of a property being used for immoral purposes in Suttons Lane. The reports have been passed on to the neighbourhood policing team to investigate.”

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