FOUR alleged victims of slavery have been rescued from a location in Wareham following a lengthy police investigation.

They are aged between their late 30s and early 70s with one person believed to have been held for decades.

All four are British nationals and have been identified as having been trafficked.

Two Wareham residents from Cold Harbour have been charged with servitude and fraud offences and are due to appear in court next month.

Mary Linda Turner, 60, and 63-year-old David Porter were originally arrested in February on suspicion of benefit fraud crimes.

They are due to appear before Weymouth magistrates on Monday, October 6.

Mr Porter told the Daily Echo: “I am shocked by the police action, we are not guilty of all charges and this is just discrimination against us.”

He also said he couldn’t comment further while the legal process is ongoing. Meanwhile, Mary Turner said: “We are completely innocent and we will now prove this. These allegations are ridiculous.”

The investigation has been carried out by the Major Crime Investigation Team and Detective Inspector Marcus Hester told the Daily Echo that a warrant was executed at the location in Wareham.

“Following the warrant four victims, all British nationals and aged between late thirties and early seventies, were removed from a location in Wareham.

“It is alleged that one of the victims had been held at the location for many years.

“All four people are being assisted by the relevant agencies and have been deemed to have been trafficked after going through the national referral mechanism.

“This was a detailed and thorough investigation over several months which has now led to these charges.”