Trading standards officers at Wiltshire Council have said they are disappointed after a almost a third of shops tested in Wiltshire sold knives and blades to under age children.

As part of an on-going drive to reduce the sale of bladed weapons to kids, Wiltshire Council has been checking if shopkeepers would ask for proof of age before selling knives to children.

In a recent operation, organised by the council’s trading standards team, six 15 and 16 year old volunteers visited stores across the county.

In 16 of those stores the under age children were sold sharp blades, no questions asked. The legal age for buying blades is 18.

In total 54 businesses around the county were visited with 16 sales being made to the volunteers.

The council said it was not a significant improvement on the rate of 18 sales from 59 businesses resulting from a similar operation last year.

Sales were made by various retailers including supermarkets, department stores, garden centres, market stalls, hardware shops and independent retailers.

Trading Standards are now carrying out further investigations with the 16 retailers and the individual employees who sold the age restricted items.

Following last year’s sales, four Wiltshire businesses were prosecuted and received substantial fines. Twelve formal cautions were also issued.

Steve Clover, Wiltshire Council’s head of commercial and consumer protection, said; ”We are extremely disappointed with these results. Despite a high profile test purchasing campaign during 2008 and the formal legal action taken against the sellers at that time, we still find 30 per cent of the shops tested were prepared to sell knives and blades to children.”