SHOPKEEPERS have been warned that Trading Standards officers will continue to use undercover techniques to catch traders selling solvents to children.

Lancashire chief trading standards officer Jim Potts made the announcement after the conviction of Accrington shopkeeper Ali Shah, whose 16-year-old daughter sold a cigarette lighter refill to a 13 year-old working for trading standards.

Hyndburn magistrates were told that Shah's daughter, who regularly works in the shop in Blackburn Road, Accrington, had sold the lighter refill, which contains butane gas and is often used by youngsters who abuse solvents, in front of a trading standards officer

Shah, the court was told, saw the sale being made, and came out of a back room to ask the boy where he lived, who is father was and how old he was.

He also asked the boy if he intended to 'sniff' the canister. The boy replied he was going to fill cigarette lighters and added he was 13 years old.

Despite hearing his age, Shah did not ask for the canister back. Gillian Lloyd, defending, said it was because he felt uncomfortable doing so in front of another customer, who turned out to be a trading standards officer.

Shah, who attended court with an interpreter, pleaded guilty and was granted a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £107 costs. Father-of-six, Shah, 43, of Blackburn Road, Accrington, is one of the first retailers to be convicted of selling butane gas to under 18s following the introduction of new legislation last October.

Shah's daughter sold the butane gas in November last year but he was liable because he owns the shop.

Jim Potts said: "We do not take pleasure in convicting people because we want to keep a record of full compliance.

"But we will continue to act undercover to catch traders who are breaking the law.

"It is quite possible some retailers are unaware of the new legislation, but ignorance is not a defence.

"This legislation was brought in to help curb the number of deaths caused by solvent abuse, and butane gas is a major factor in that.

"We are not being devious by sending children in because we tell them that, if asked, they must tell them the shopkeeper their age and they dress in accordance with their age."