THE company behind a Haslingden petrol station has been fined £1,000 after admitting selling a can of lighter fuel to a 14-year-old girl.

Haslingden Services Limited, owners of the Haslingden Service Station and Mini-Market in Manchester Road, pleaded guilty to an offence under the Cigarette Lighter Refill Regulations 1999.

Rossendale magistrates heard how Lancashire Trading Standards officers sent the girl into the forecourt shop to see if she could buy lighter fuel during a test purchase operation on Friday, March 25.

The girl was served without being asked how old she was or to provide any proof of age.

The court was told how inhaling lighter fuel is a common form of substance abuse, the effects of which can range from mild or severe intoxication through to loss of consciousness, when there is an additional risk of vomiting and choking.

In some young people, prolonged abuse can damage the liver, kidneys and nervous system.

Under the regulations, no one under 18 can be supplied with a lighter refill canister containing butane.

On the company's behalf, magistrates were told that the assistant involved had only worked there for two months, but had been given verbal training about under-age sales.

Apologising for what had happened it was explained that the shop had been busy at the time and this had led the assistant to become distracted and confused.

The court heard that following the sale, the garage had tightened up its procedures for selling age-restricted products.

Sentencing the company, magistrates said although the assistant was a new employee, training procedures should have ensured that he was not distracted. In addition to the fine the company was ordered to pay court costs of £160.