Three Costcutter stores in the borough have been caught selling alcohol to children following a Havering Council sting.

Two Costcutter stores were forced to close for 48-hours over Halloween weekend last year after workers were repeatedly caught making under-age sales.

Child volunteers working with council trading standards officers visited seven Costcutter stores across the borough, last Saturday (February 26).- three sold alcohol to the teenage volunteers

The girls, aged 16 and 17, left each store with a bottle of wine without being asked for identification to prove their age.

The members of staff who made the sales at two of the stores were fined �80 fixed

The designated premise supervisors at all the stores also face possible legal action.

Cllr Geoff Starns, cabinet member for community safety and licensing, said: “It beggars belief that a retailer, forced by the council to close two of its stores because of under-aged alcohol sales, has been caught again – not just once – but three times in the same evening.

“It’s disgraceful. Alcohol in the wrong hands can lead to behaviour that is totally unacceptable.

“We will not allow our residents to have their quality of life affected by off licences which appear to care more about profit than their community.”

The penalties for under age sales include a maximum �5,000 fine.

Havering Council encourages premises to adopt a Challenge 21 procedure.

Under the scheme, traders will ask anyone trying to buy alcohol for identification if they look under 21 years old.

Around 170 licensed premises signed up to it