FIVE people have been hit with fines as part of a crackdown on selling booze to underage drinkers in the Ribble Valley.

Four shop assistants and one bar man were fined after an undercover operation targeting underage sales.

Police teamed up with Trading Standards officials to carry out a test purchasing operation, and a 15-year-old girl and 16-year-old boy were sent into nine off-licences and four pubs in Longridge, Ribchester, Clitheroe, Langho and Whalley.

Sgt John Lindsey said: “This operation was run as part of a wider crackdown on underage drinking in the Ribble Valley.

“While the majority of staff refused to sell alcohol to the children, there were a number of premises that did – which is extremely disappointing.

“We run regular operations with trading standards and have three more coming up in the next few weeks.

“We’ve done several test purchases before but this is the highest number of failures we have had in one night, which is obviously very disappointing.

“As a result this is something we will be focusing on in the coming months.

"Selling alcohol to underage children can also have knock-on effects with anti-social behaviour as well, so if we can stop one we can go some way to stopping the other.”

Five employees were each fined £80 after selling two bottles of blue WKD, two bottles of cider and one bottle of Reef to the children.

The premises that failed the tests were in Langho, Whalley, Clitheroe and two in Longridge.

Five premises passed in Longridge, one in Ribchester, one in Clitheroe and one in Whalley.

Sgt Lindsey added: “I urge anyone with information about underage drinking or anti-social behaviour to contact police on 0845 125 3545.”