Locals stunned by claims their leafy commuter town has become a mafia hotspot

Locals are baffled by claims that their leafy commuter town has become a hotspot for – the MAFIA.

A new Ross Kemp TV show reports that some gangsters have swapped their traditional Italian and American bases for Woking. Ross Kemp: Mafia and Britain will be broadcast on Sky.

However, residents are not convinced by the claim that the town, which is located about 23 miles from central London, is home to a host of Surrey Sopranos.

One of them, who runs a food truck in the city centre, said: “I heard this on the radio this morning.

“I had to laugh. I thought: next you’ll tell me that pigs can fly.

“It’s a bit ridiculous. There are a lot of Italians around – and there are a lot of million-pound houses around the centre. “But that doesn’t make them the mafia.”

Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, had a similar view.

He said, “Ha – that’s a good laugh. I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve never heard that. I have no connection to the mafia. I promise. I really doubt that’s true.”

Chris Bird, 73, was not convinced of the mafia’s presence but said there was some “crime” in Woking.

“There are a lot of Italians in Woking,” he said.

“But I wouldn’t say they’re in the mafia. But there is a drug problem here. That’s the real problem. That’s the crime here.”

Meanwhile, Jo Chambers, 73, said she had not heard anything about the Mafia but admitted it was not impossible.

She said, “I’ve never heard anything like that before. But I mind my own business, so I might not have noticed.”

Kemp told the Daily Star: “The reason they choose places like this (Woking) is because it’s the last place the authorities would look.”