A MAN was fined after Trading Standards officers posing as shopkeepers helped catch him buying alcohol for under-18s.

Two off-licences in Mill Hill agreed to host the workers on Friday, with police officers stationed outside to follow anyone acting suspiciously.

Now police have vowed to use the same tactic at off-licenses throughout Blackburn and Darwen in the run-up to Christmas.

During the operation, the 19-year-old man roused trading officers’ suspicions when he bought bottles of cider and alcopops, and officers who followed him saw him hand them over to boys aged 14 and 16.

He was given an £80 fixed penalty notice.

Police also seized other alcohol from teenagers in Mill Hill.

Sergeant Andy Winter said: “Rather than targeting the shops and blaming them we want to target those people who are buying it for them.”

“We got a good result from this initiative so we will certainly be using it again as we move towards Christmas.”