Dangerous goods (From Barry And District News)

Dangerous goods

A SWOOP on a range of local shops by Vale of Glamorgan Council Trading Standards officers has found shopkeepers selling dangerous and life threatening goods to under-age children.

In a recent survey of 11 shops, four were caught selling butane gas lighter refills to under age volunteers.

Officers also visited six other shops across the county - all six sold a variety of knives and dangerous tools to a 14-year-old girl, with assistants regularly overriding till prompts reminding them that such products are not to be sold to under-16's.

Simon Wilkinson, Principal Trading Standards Officer, said: "I'm horrified that some shops have a disregard to the possibility of substance misuse amongst children.

"Owners of shops must act more responsibly and make sure their staff receive training in recognising items that can lead to solvent abuse and other dangerous activities.

"The ease with which young people can get such potentially dangerous weapons like knives shocks me.

"Shopkeepers need to take all possible steps to ensure they are not selling to under-age children.

"It is a simple precaution to request proof of age from customers to ensure they are old enough to purchase any restricted product. We sympathise with traders who find it difficult to estimate a young person's age and that's why we support the Challenge 21 scheme and advise all traders to say'No ID, No Sale' where they believe an individual is under 21 years of age."

Chief Inspector Nigel Lewis, of Vale Police, said: "Those selling alcohol, knives or, indeed, any other age related products have to stop guessing a customer's age.

"If someone is lucky enough to look younger than they are, they will not be offended if you ask them to prove their age.

"Traders must ask for proof or risk the consequences. The Vale is a safe place, and I would urge traders to assist in keeping it that way."

Trading Standards has invested in an age-restricted product educational training pack, which is being delivered to as many traders in the Vale as possible.

The pack, which contains a cd-rom training video, booklets and posters, covers all aspects of underage products from alcohol and cigarettes to fireworks and knives.