POLICE in Wrexham have joined forces with trading standards officers to call a halt to the illegal sale of products to underage children.

PC Vanessa Griffiths, drugs and alcohol prevention officer, has been visiting pubs, off-licences and retailers in Hightown to hand out information packs to encourage the businesses not to sell products to those who are underage.

PC Griffiths has been accompanied by Stan Waisuk from the Licensing Enforcement Department and Lise Mitchell from Trading Standards and one of the aims of the initiative is to promote the Proof of Age card scheme. This allows young people aged 16-18 and over to obtain identity cards which display their photograph and date of birth.

PC Griffiths said: 'The aim of these visits is to help reduce the number of sales of age-restricted products to underage children including alcohol, cigarettes, butane lighter refills, knives, solvents and fireworks. We would encourage all retailers to verify the age of young people wishing to buy such products by asking to see proof of age cards or documents.'

The programme of visits is part of an initiative in Hightown to tackle anti-social behaviour through partnerships with a variety of agencies and community members in the area.

PC Griffiths said: 'We know there are links between young people drinking alcohol and anti-social behaviour and criminal activity. By preventing young people from being able to buy alcohol we hope to reduce anti-social behaviour, which is one of the biggest sources of complaint.

'Anti-social behaviour can and does affect people's quality of life and we at North Wales Police are committed to working with our partners and members of the community to prevent it.'

Trading Standards officers will be organising a series of test purchases in the area to follow up the visits.