Revelations that prostitutes are using a budget hotel in the Golden Triangle has come as a shock to people living in the area, as crime correspondent PETER WALSH reports.

The Beeches in Earlham Road is one of the properties owned by Tony Burlingham which were raided by police in December last year after they received information that illegal sexual activity was taking place.

Mr Burlingham's admission that prostitutes have used his properties, many of them with distinctive whitened out windows, has surprised many people living nearby.

A couple who live in Earlham Road but wanted to remain anonymous, said they were surprised that it was being used by prostitutes.

The woman said: 'I thought there was quite an influx of women but... it does surprise me. I thought it was just a cheap B&B – I've looked at it on the internet.'

Her partner, 49, said: 'Why would you have the windows whitened out if there wasn't something going on?'

A 47-year-old woman who lived on Earlham Road, but did not want to be named, said: 'It's been going downhill for a long time and seems to be getting worse but I didn't know it gets used by sex workers.

'It's a shame because it could be so nice.'

A man in his 60s who lives on the road but did not want to be named, said: 'It does surprise me, I didn't know anything.

'We don't want that sort of thing here – it's terrible really.'

A 62-year-old man who lives nearby and has family living in the area, thanked the Norwich Evening News for helping to highlight the issue.

He said: 'I think many people in the area will be very relieved that this issue has been exposed.

'I think many of us have been very unhappy for a very long time about what has been going on.'

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