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STEPPING UP CAMPAIGN AGAINST UNDER-AGE DRINKING

A pilot scheme designed to tackle under-age drinking and the sale of alcohol to the under 18s is being launched by Trading Standards and Croydon Police over the August bank holiday weekend. As part of an ongoing campaign against under-age drinking, this latest initiative will focus on the area around Hamsey Green in Sanderstead where residents have recently complained about the number of youths seen consuming alcohol in public places. Over a thousand leaflets have been distributed to local homes encouraging residents to report incidents of under-age drinking via a special hotline number. The information will be gathered by Trading Standards officers who are also collecting intelligence on retailers who are selling alcohol to the under 18s. On Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th August, a trading standards officer and a police officer will be in the area ready to follow-up immediately on calls to the hotline number. This will involve dealing with under-age young people found to be drinking in public places, or visiting retailers suspected of selling the product. The Youth Drinking Hotline is 020 8407 1309. Said cabinet member for public health and protection, Councillor Maggie Mansell: "This pilot initiative is being launched in response to complaints that young people are able to buy alcohol. We are determined to crack down on traders who sell age-restricted goods and we are hoping that this trial project, together with our on-going programme of under-aged test purchasing, will stamp out the practice."