THREE pubs and an off-licence were caught selling alcohol to a 16-year-old in a test purchase sting by police.

Officers from Southwell Neighbourhood team carried out the operation with a 16-year-old test purchaser on March 5.

Staff at the Old Coach House in Southwell, The Dumbles in Southwell, The Old Bridge Inn in Oxton and Londis at the BP Garage in Upton Road, Southwell all failed to ask the test purchaser for identification.

They will now have the option to accept an £80 fixed penalty notice or appear before Magistrates.

The sting was part of Operation Alcologic which targets alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour in Southwell.

There were no reported incidents of anti-social behaviour on March 5 but a number of young people were stopped and searched in zones where alcohol is banned and were found to be carrying booze.

A 15-year-old boy was found with vodka, another 15-year-old had a bottle of Jagermeister and two 16-year-olds were found with vodka and beer. Each of the young people were given either a £30 fine or a warning and their parents were contacted.

Beat manager PC Tony Hayes said: "It is disappointing that some of our local pubs should have failed to request proof of age, particularly when there was advance notice of this operation.

"I hope this will serve as a reminder that it is illegal to serve alcohol to anyone aged under 18 and that identification should always be requested if staff are in any doubt about the age of the customer.

"I would also urge staff at licensed premises to contact the police if they believe they have been presented with false identification."