AN off licence could be closed down after police complained that it was selling alcohol to underage children.

Police have asked for a licensing review for the Gourmet and Goblet in Padiham Road, Gannow, after staff failed during test purchase operations last October and January.

Each occasion saw an under-age volunteer served with alcohol, either by premises supervisor Bhag Singh or a member of his staff, the borough's licensing committee has been told.

Police insist there is a problem with under-age drinkers in the neighbourhood, which is being fuelled, in part, by alcohol purchased from the store.

But the shop's supporters say they have been victims of trouble themselves and have called in police repeatedly to deal with would-be teenage drinkers.

CCTV has been improved at the main road store and no alcohol is now sold without proper identification being sought.

But the borough's licensing committee could still decide to revoke or suspend the shop's licence when councillors meet next Wednesday at Burnley Town Hall.

The councillors also have the option of either removing Mr Singh as the designated premises supervisor or modifying licensing conditions placed on the shop.

Police say following an operation on October 26, when alcohol was sold to a youngster during an undercover operation, officers visited Mr Singh and warned him about his conduct.

Mr Singh, who had sold the alcohol to the volunteer, was also given advice about the Challenge 21' under-age drinking scheme by police.

But when officers returned to carry out a similar exercise on January 4, another youth was sold alcohol, this time by Razwinder Singh, one of Mr Singh's staff members.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "There is a problem in the area and direct vicinity of the premises with alcohol-related juvenile nuisance.

"We believe that alcohol from this premises is being purchased both directly and indirectly by children and is a contributory factor in the associated nuisance and disorder."

Police say measures employed by Mr Singh to prevent such sales are inadequate and that the problems surrounding the Gourmet and Goblet need to be addressed to combat the disorder problems identified.

But Sukhdip Randhawa, Mr Singh's niece, said the off licence had been plagued by problems with under-age drinkers.

And when staff had alerted police to would-be offenders, they had disappeared by the time officers had arrived on the scene.

Mrs Randhawa, who runs her own store in Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, says that since CCTV cameras had been installed at the store the problems had become less frequent.

She added: "Now if there is no identification provided then no alcohol or cigarettes will be sold in the shop. And they have spent nearly £3,000 on CCTV."

The shop would also benefit from security cameras being fitted outside the store, overlooking the Padiham Road parade, to identify troublemakers in the area, she said.