BOLTON shopkeepers suspected of selling fireworks to under-age children will be facing a visit from the police.

Last year five complaints of under age sales were investigated and the owners were also referred to the fire service for inspection.

The fire service will be making random visits to shops to make sure fireworks are correctly stored.

Around 200 premises were inspected in 1995 and some of the problems highlighted included half a ton of fireworks stored wall to wall in a room directly below an occupied flat and candles stored next to fireworks.

Trading standards officials from Bolton Council will also be visiting shops with packs giving advice on storing fireworks safely and making random checks on fireworks to make sure they come up to standard.

"We want to make 1996 the safest bonfire celebrations ever in Bolton," said Inspector John Martin, Chairman of the multi-agency Bonfire and Firework Safety Strategy Group.

"We would ask shopkeepers to help us with this. Fireworks are dangerous objects and need to be stored carefully and kept out of the hand of youngsters. Parents also need to be vigilant and make sure their under-age children are not buying fireworks. I would urge anyone who knows of a shop which is selling fireworks to under-age children or storing them unsafely to contact the police," he added.

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