Drugs are being sold “openly” and there are “10 prostitutes on every corner” in a High Wycombe road – amid claims that the town’s red-light district is growing.

Complaints about prostitution and drug dealing around the Desborough Road area have been ongoing for years – but the issue has been reignited by a Wycombe district councillor this week, who says the problem is rife.

The issue was highlighted more than two years ago when councillors claimed police were not doing enough to stop it.

Speaking at the town’s local area forum on Wednesday, Cllr Maz Hussain said there are still girls working in the area and approaching vehicles “every night” – even though there is a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in place preventing people from engaging in any activities related to prostitution.

He said: “What I have seen in the last few months, behind Desborough Road, people are selling drugs openly. You see cars driving past just delivering them.

“There are also girls working there – they are everywhere, they are there every night and there are at least 10 of them behind Desborough Road.

“There are 10 to 15 girls on every corner, it is quite bad - they are approaching cars as well so they are not just standing on the corner.

“If you go there during the day and wait, you will see, drug dealers going through, delivering drugs and then driving off. If you go there in the evening, on every corner there is a girl standing there.

“I have reported the issue a few times now. Outside Jubilee Mosque on Fridays, we also have quite a few ladies begging. It is quite bad. They are there begging and forcing you to get money out.”

Cllr Mohammed Asif added: “The red light district is moving out, all the way towards Jubilee Road and all the way towards Grafton Street.”

Inspector Pete Wall, from High Wycombe police station, said drugs are a major focus for the force – but it is the “big cheeses” who need targeting, not the causal users.

He said: “I can’t reveal too many details about what we are doing, but drugs are very high on our priority list at the moment.

“We have four organised crime groups identified and we are trying to tackle that issue. Drug use is a problem in every town and it is a social problem. I don’t have all the answers, we have to work together, but everything has to be reported to us.”