Brothel owner hurt in attack

The owner of the Tantallon escort agency, who would only give her name as Anne, was woken by the building's back-to-base fire and burglar alarm about 3.45am yesterday.

Two female staff members were also asleep in the building at the time.

Alerted to flames at the front of the premises, the women beat out the fire with towels before it took hold of the building.

In the process, Anne sustained second degree burns to her right foot.

Police arrived at the scene within minutes and cordoned off the area for forensic examinations.

Anne was pleased with the police response, however she was disappointed the perpetrators had not been caught.

"This is the second time in three months, something has to be done," she said.

"These people have to be stopped before someone is killed."

Anne would not say who she thought was responsible for the attacks but said it was obvious someone was trying to get rid of her.

"It's intimidation, there's no doubt about that," she said.

"I don't know from whom but it's obvious someone doesn't want us here.

Describing herself as a gentle woman, who has been in the escort industry for 20 years, Anne said she had never experienced or even heard of anything like the attacks before.

"It's like something out of the gangster era," she said.

"I don't know what to do, it's just awful and it's not right.

"I just mind my own business - I can't believe any of this is happening."

Anne was asleep in a back room of the building at the time of the attack and said she didn't see or hear anything until woken by the alarm.

"I lock the gates at night, so whoever did it must have climbed over the fence," she said.

"The police said they might have an eye witness - a truck driver who was parked nearby."

Anne said she and her staff were alarmed by the incident but not deterred.