A CLUB is closing after its lapdancers were caught exposing their genitals and intimately touching themselves.

CCTV footage seized by Cleveland Police from Secrets, in Middlesbrough, revealed the naked women were sitting on customers laps and exposing their genitals – both of which are forbidden.

The nightspot was due to have its premises licence reviewed by Middlesbrough Borough Council for flouting the “no touch” rules which dancers must abide by.

However, the public meeting was held in secret yesterday after which a council spokesman confirmed that the second floor of Spensleys Emporium pub, in Albert Road, could no longer operate as a lapdancing club.

“The licence for Secrets, in agreement with all the parties involved, has been withdrawn,”

he said.

The club was taken over in September 2008 by Lee Spensley from his father, Anthony Spensley, owner of popular town centre bars, The Dickens Inn and TS One.

In February this year a meeting was held after serious assaults were reported to police.

Violence at the venue included several assaults involving bottles and a doorman suffered a broken jaw.

A monitoring visit was carried out by PC Fiona Heyler who was horrified by the live performances shown on the Secrets CCTV footage.

“I was shocked and amazed by what I observed,” she said in her police witness statement.

“It showed a performance whereby there were two females and two males in one booth.

The females appeared to dance between both males who were seated before sitting on their laps, exposing their genitals and touching themselves intimately.”

Acting Police Sergeant Lyndsey Dale visited the Albert Road club on June 12 this year to view an hour of CCTV footage and said there were a number of instances of female dancers touching customers.

Club manager Stephen Spensley told police they had been so concerned with the problems that they had been having on the lower ground of the venue, they had not been paying much attention to Secrets.

A spokesperson for Secrets or Spensley’s Emporium was unavailable for comment.