Moves to crackdown on the sale of illegal e-cigarettes and the sale of vapes to chidren have been welcomed in Bolton.

The Government has announced new measures to address the sale of illegal e-cigarettes to children as a part of a plan to reduce smoking and tackle vaping.

It comes after a crackdown on the illicit items between Bolton Council and GMP Bolton saw thousands of them seized on one day of action last month.

In a speech at the Policy Exchange this week Health Minister Neil O'Brien announced new measures to address the sale of illegal e-cigarettes to children like the creation of a nationwide 'enforcement squad'.

Backed by £3 million, and led by Trading Standards, this nationwide 'enforcement squad' will work with the authorities to share intelligence across its network and to take on operations such as test purchases.

Mr O'Brien also announced the creation of a Call for Evidence to explore opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing vapes while allowing vapes to be used by adults who want to stop smoking.

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He said: "The new enforcement squad will work across the country and will clamp down on those businesses who sell vapes to children – which is illegal – and get them hooked on nicotine. 

"Our Call for Evidence will also allow us to get a firm understanding of the steps we can take to reduce the number of children accessing vapes and using vapes."

The sale of illegal e-cigarettes to children is such a problem in this area one headteacher said their prevalence is akin to 'a pandemic'.

Tony McCabe, the headteacher of St Joseph's RC High School, called for action after two students collapsed from the effects of the illicit items, which are advertised in flavours like candy floss with some ads even appearing on buses to school.

In an interview last month, he said: "It might have an attractive label on there, but you don't know what it's doing to you.

"I think we're into a pandemic where people are using e-cigarettes without knowledge of the impact it's having on them."

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Only days later a crackdown between Bolton Council and GMP Bolton saw thousands of the items seized on one day of action.

A number of businesses were raided by the team in Horwich.

The manager of one business said he obtained e-cigarettes from Cheetham Hill, an area of North Manchester known as the 'counterfeit capital' of the UK, while the manager of another business said he obtained e-cigarettes from a 'man in a van'.

The authorities deposit them for a short time, then destroy them unless the businesses are able to prove these are legal after all.

In response to the announcement this week, Bradshaw Ward councillor Mudasir Dean said: "You just need to park outside any school to see the amount of young people who are using vapes.

"It's worrying because we're aware of the effects of smoking and the damage it does to your health but we're not aware of the effects of vaping on young people. There does need to be a crackdown."

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.