Havering's shops were squeaky clean when it came to selling age-restricted items in a test using undercover children. 

Havering Council carried out a campaign to test if local businesses sell knives, vapes and other age-restricted items to people below 18.

The council said its licensing and trading standards teams collaborated with volunteers aged 12 to visit different premises in Romford, Elm Park, Collier Row and Upminster earlier this month.

The volunteers, the council said, helped the officers by going into local businesses to try to buy a knife or a vape, book sunbeds or purchase alcohol - all of which cannot be offered or sold to underage children.

The council said all nine businesses they visited refused to sell any of these to the volunteers.

The council's policy is that if a business is found to be selling age-restricted items to those below 18, it is issued a warning if it is the first offence.

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Council officers then work with businesses to support on training and ensuring that they comply with regulations.

All businesses are then revisited, and any further failures may result in a review of their licence or prosecution, the council said.

In addition, the council revealed that its licensing and trading standards teams encourage businesses to sign up to the challenge 25 scheme.

Under the scheme, young people are encouraged to carry an ID and retailers are urged to ask for one if they think the person looks younger.

Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, said he was pleased to see that none of the businesses visited by officers and volunteers sold such items to those underage.

He added: “We will continue to carry out these visits to businesses to ensure that this is the case going forward.

“We will always take the strongest possible action on those that don’t comply and will, if necessary, prosecute.

“We also want to help get the message out there, to not carry knives and that the consequences of doing so will not only affect the life of a victim, but the perpetrator too."