Kingston and Richmond councils are set to crackdown on retailers who sell alcohol and solvents to underage children.

Thanks to a new law which came into force last week, trading standards officers and police are allowed to carry out test purchases of alcohol using underage subjects.

Actor and Kingston resident John Altman, who plays Nasty Nick in EastEnders, has pledged his support to the ground breaking campaign.

Local MPs Edward Davey and Jenny Tonge have also given their backing to the project which targets retailers selling solvent and alcohol to underage youths.

Ted Forsyth, Kingstons chief trading standards officer, said: We want to do all we can to help retailers comply with the law and will be carrying out checks to make sure that they do so.

Our very strong advice to retailers is to ask for proof of age. No proof means no sale.

Trading standards officers have prosecuted several shop owners in recent years for selling cigarettes and knives to young people, and now the same laws apply to alcohol and solvents such as butane.

Shopkeepers will be forewarned about the campaign through posters which will also make a request for any information on people illegally selling to youths.

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