Council in fireworks age campaign

The council hopes to stop children getting their hands on fireworks

Shopkeepers who sell fireworks to underage children are to be targeted in an undercover council operation.

Aberdeenshire Council is to send under-18s into local shops to attempt to buy fireworks.

The council warned that any retailers selling fireworks to the children risked being reported to authorities.

Three Aberdeenshire businesses were prosecuted in 2005 after evidence gained by deploying underage children became admissible in Scottish courts.

Trading standards officer Kevin Fleurs said: "Although in the run-up to last Bonfire Night only one shop sold fireworks to our volunteers, a marked improvement on previous years, we shall be testing the vigilance of the trade again this year.

"My advice to retailers is that they must ask for proof of age before selling fireworks and not be afraid to say no to young people who cannot produce satisfactory identification."