ALCOHOL was sold to a 14-year-old girl at five shops across Pendle during a police and council operation.

The borough council has held a meeting with the stores bosses to remind them of their responsibilities to the community and prevent crime as well as recommend all staff receive extra training.

The premises that failed included Spend ‘N’ Save, Higher Reedley Road, Brierfield, Beer Hut, Barkerhouse Road, Nelson, and Premier, Hill Place, Nelson.

The council also said K&A Food and Booze, in Skipton Road, Colne, and Knotts Lane Shop in Colne, failed the test.

A spokesman for Pendle Council said: “On Wednesday, April 12, an alcohol test purchase operation was conducted by PC Mark Walker on behalf of the police.

“PC Walker was assisted by the council’s licensing enforcement officer, Mick Armfield,

whose role was to advise anyone who failed the test purchase as to the procedures

they should be following in order to prevent under age sales.

“The test purchaser used was a 14-year-old female.

“A total of 17 premises were visited in Nelson, Brierfield and Colne during the daytime

operation, which resulted in five premises selling alcohol to the female.

“None of the sellers of the alcohol were either premises or personal licence holders.

“It was clearly evident from the sales that took place that very little or no training had been given to the sellers by the premises licence holder or the designated premises supervisor.

“This was clearly a major factor which resulted in the sales of alcohol to the child.”

None of the shops were available for comment when contacted yesterday.

The alcoholic drinks bought by the teenager included bottle of WKD, a tin of Carlsberg and a bottle of Kopperberg Cider.

Named in a council document, Raja Sumair Jillani sold the alcohol at Spend ‘N’ Save, Haider Ali at Beer Hut, Bhutta Azeem at Premier, Ghulum Mustafa at K&A and Shamriz Ansar at Knotts Lane.