STORE bosses in Burnley have been fined £2,000 after selling cigarettes to a 13-year-old girl during a sting operation.

Trading standards officers swooped on the Nisa Local store, in Colne Road, Duke Bar, to carry out a test purchasing exercise last August, Reedley magistrates were told.

County council officer Karen England went into the store and positioned herself near the checkouts so she could observe the till.

And a 13-year-old girl, recruited by trading standards, went up to the counter and bought a packet of 10 Lambert and Butler cigarettes.

Mrs England said the assistant behind the counter did not challenge the youngster about her age or ask for identification.

Nick McNamara, prosecuting on hehalf of Lancashire County Council, said that the trading standards officer then approached staff and identified herself.

The assistant, named as Sabina Jahangir, was questioned about the sale and later told that the store would be reported for committing an offence under the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

Mr McNamara said numerous attempts were made to arrange an interview with the Usmaniyah Corporation, the company behind the Nisa Local stores in Burnley.

But despite warnings that court proceedings would follow, an interview with the department was cancelled without explanation.

The case against Usmaniyah Corporation, which has an office listed at 1 Colne Road in Burnley, was found proved in their absence by magistrates and the firm was fined £2,000 with ££90 costs.

Magistrates were shown a photo of the girl involved in the test purchase operation and her mother confirmed that a copy of her birth certificate was correct.

Mr McNamara said that previously the law had required people to be aged at least 16, when purchasing cigarettes, although this had now changed to 18, following recent legislation.