Shops of shame sell to children

On Wednesday night the pair visited six unnamed premises under suspicion of selling fireworks to children and one was caught selling the girl a £2.99 packet of "air bombs".

An air bomb firework is put into the ground, lit before it throws up a parcel of gunpowder and bangs in the air.

In the wrong hands, head of Bolton Council Trading Standards Richard Lindley says, this exploding firework is potentially very dangerous

"If it went into somebody's face it could cause them serious harm, or even blind them" he said.

"There is a lot of difference between the ages of 12 and 18 and by any stretch of the imagination this girl should not have been sold these air bombs."

The unnamed female shopkeeper will now be prosecuted.

But Astley Bridge Conservative councillor Stuart Lever has accused the council of "turning a blind eye" to illegal traders.

Last year, he says, of 10 people who were caught selling fireworks to juveniles, no action was taken in eight cases, one case collapsed and there was just one success story.

He said: "This is not good enough, there should be a prosecution every time."

But Cllr Guy Harkin, cabinet member for the environment, refuted the allegations.

He said: "The only time we do not prosecute is when we are legally advised that we have no chance of winning. Then it is a waste of public money."

Officers report that around than 10 per cent of the town's shops could be selling fireworks illegally to children after receiving 10 complaints, but the figure may be much higher.

It is against the law to sell fireworks to anyone under 18 and traders are warned that they will be prosecuted. Those caught face a fine of up to £5,000 and/or six months in prison.

Nine people in Bolton went to hospital with fireworks related injuries after last November 5 -- seven of them children.

Anyone who suspects someone is selling fireworks to children is asked to ring trading standards officers on 01204 336586.