BAR staff throughout Cheshire are joining the county council in a crack-down on under-age drinking.

Helping to highlight the author-ity's Challenge 21 campaign, T-shirts emblazoned with the logo and posters have been provided to pubs and off-licences to make customers aware.

The idea behind the scheme is for anyone looking under the age of 21 to be asked for proof of age before being served alcohol.

Executive member for community and communications Nora Dolphin said: 'It's really great to see so many Cheshire pubs and off-licences getting behind the scheme and offering their support.

'Under-age drinking is a national issue that must be addressed on a local level and Cheshire County Council was one of the first authorities to react.'

The Challenge 21 campaign aims to tackle under-age drinking and is being spearheaded across Cheshire by the Trading Standards team.

Calling on licensees in local pubs and off-licensed premises to ask for proof of age and identity before selling alcohol, it's already winning support from retailers across the county.

With more than 800 licensed premises in Cheshire the aim is to get them all involved in the project by 2006.