Prostitutes were forced to march naked through the streets of St Petersburg with their clients after police raided an illegal brothel in the middle of the night.

All 11 prostitutes from a brothel in historic Vasilyevsky Island were arrested along with their clients – but three men managed to escape through a back door.

Footage of the men and women walking naked for five blocks through Russia’s second city was captured by a passer-by on their smartphone.

One eye-witness said: “Police burst into the building and a little while later left with naked and crying prostitutes.”