A CRACKDOWN has been launched to stop people buying alcohol for under-18s.

Police have teamed up with Pendle Council officers, NHS East Lancashire, and off-licence shops to remind people of the penalties for supplying drink to youths.

They risk a £5,000 fine and a criminal record if caught, while shops can also be disciplined.

Inspector Ian Cooper, of Pendle Police, said: “People don’t realise this is a serious offence. Under the influence of alcohol, young people are more vulnerable and therefore more likely to become victims of crime, or even commit crime themselves.

“The consequences of this can have a dramatic and long-lasting effect on that young person’s life.”