One in three Warwickshire shops sold cigarettes to kids

ONE in three shops in Warwickshire were willing to sell cigarettes to children used in undercover sting operations during the last year.

That compares to just one in eight stores in neighbouring Coventry.

Health chiefs warn more work is needed to protect children from cigarettes, despite the number of underage smokers falling nationally.

Richard Hobbs, portfolio holder for community protection at Warwickshire County Council, said it was worrying that children still found it too easy to buy cigarettes.

He promised officers would carry on targeting retailers who flouted the law and their responsibilities.

During the last year trading standards officers have sent children into 27 shops in Warwickshire to buy LUCKY STRIKE cigarettes.

Nine stores served them without asking for identification.

That includes six of out 12 shops targeted in Rugby and three out of five in Nuneaton and Bedworth.

However, just three out of 24 shops fell into the same trap in Coventry.

And none of the 10 outlets tested in Stratford served the youngsters.

Ensuring stores stop serving children is only part of the battle, as many youngsters are still able to convince complete strangers to buy cigarettes for them.