MORE than 80 per cent of pubs in Greater Manchester would sell alcohol to underage teenagers, according to an eight-week police crackdown.

Sting operations, which saw off-licences and bars in Bolton, Manchester, and Wigan checked by officers and undercover teenagers, led to 503 arrests, and 191 fixed penalty notices being issued.

In the nationwide campaign 650 licensed premises were caught selling alcohol to children.

Bosses of the pubs, clubs, supermarkets and off-licences involved in more than one incident are to receive a letter from Home Secretary David Blunkett demanding action.

Mr Blunkett signalled that magistrates may be asked to increase fines on licensees who break the law, as financial penalties imposed on the industry were currently "very low".

The police blitz on alcohol-fuelled violence saw police and trading standards officers carry out sting operations on 1,825 premises.

Of these 51 per cent of on licences -- totalling 191 premises -- and 32 per cent of off licence premises -- totalling 466 -- were found to be selling to under-18s.

Officers also arrested 5,764 people, handed on-the-spot fines to more than 4,000 yobs and confiscated alcohol from more than 9,500 adults and juveniles.

Mr Blunkett said: "I recognise that good work is being done by many in the industry to combat this, but there is no point for policies to be in place to deal with sales of alcohol to minors if they are not implemented.

"That is why I will be writing to the chief executives of the off licences and drinking establishments that have repeatedly sold alcohol illegally to find out what positive action will be taken to address this."

Ministers said the campaign will now be repeated at regular intervals over the coming months.

During the campaign, which ran Thursday to Sunday nights each week in July and August, officers visited more than 30,500 premises, of which 4 per cent were found to have committed an offence.

Mr Blunkett said he would ask the Sentencing Guidelines Council to look at whether whether "being drunk" should be changed to an aggravating rather than a mitigating factor in anti-social offences.

The panel, which advises the judiciary on sentencing, will also look at whether the full range of fines were being properly used against establishments prosecuted for selling alcohol illegally.

Mr Blunkett added: "I am determined to tackle the irresponsible and illegal selling of alcohol identified during the campaign.

"Gaining the confidence of communities affected by alcohol-fuelled crime is vital.

"This is difficult to achieve when fine levels for alcohol related prosecutions within the industry are often very low, and when people committing anti-social offences can use the excuse of

drunkenness' to get a shorter sentence.

"I will be asking the Sentencing Guidelines Council to look at both these issues to see what can be done."

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell, who is responsible for overhauling licensing laws, said: "The Home Secretary and I are determined to root out those pubs, bars, and shops which are selling alcohol illegally to children.

"The protection of children and the prevention of crime and disorder are at the very heart of the new licensing laws which will come into effect next year.

"One key change will be the increase in maximum fines from £1,000 to £5,000 for anyone caught selling alcohol to under-18s.

"I am absolutely committed to making sure we clamp down on those venues that are routinely flouting the law."

Association of Chief Police Officers spokesman and Nottinghamshire chief constable Stephen Green said: "Whilst this campaign demonstrates the massive efforts made by the police service to tackle alcohol fuelled violence it has not solved the fundamental problems in our town and city centres.

"Acpo will continue to campaign to ensure that we do everything in our power to reclaim the streets for decent law abiding citizens."

The enforcement campaign targeted alcohol-related disorder and underage drinking in 92 communities across England and Wales.

Police issued 4,060 fixed penalty notices - 43% for causing harassment, 44% for being drunk and disorderly and 13% for other alcohol-related offences.

They also confiscated alcohol from 3,311 under-18s and 6,385 adults in designated no drinking areas.