A TEENAGER has been forced to quit his part-time job after three years because he is too young!

Callan Garder, 16, had to stop his milk round job following an anonymous phone call to the county council.

Education chiefs told Callon's dad, Alan, that the law prevented his son doing a milk round while in mainstream education.

Now his dad says the authority should be doing more to let youngsters know the facts before they start working, instead of relying on tip-offs from the public.

Alan, of Mason Hill View, said: "Callan isn't wandering the streets. He doesn't smoke, doesn't take drugs and is in the army cadets.

"He just wants to get a bit of money like all kids."

Under the 1998 Children's (Protection at Work) Regulations by-law, children are limited to how many hours they can work each week. If they attend a mainstream school the are banned from doing a milk round.

Callan, a pupil at Fulwood High School, takes his exams in a few months, but his dad says he can cope with the early starts, and has never missed a day of school because of the job.

"It hasn't affected Callan's education one iota," said Alan.

"A paper round is more dangerous than a milk round, a child is out there on their own. With a milk round they've got an adult there.

"The Government is saying it's trying to encourage young people to work but here it's discouraging it. It doesn't make sense.

"Why don't they get a leaflet to everybody who starts secondary school? They're relying on people to report kids."

Gordon Wilson, deputy head at Fulwood High, said: "That legislation is there to try to stop children being exploited."

A spokesman for the county council said: "Education and welfare officers already provide comprehensive information to schools and visit school assemblies making it clear of what constitutes an illegal occupation."