AN UNDERCOVER operation has found one in three shops selling knives to an under-15-year-old.

The investigation, carried out by trading standards in Rochdale, saw the volunteers visit 18 shops in Rochdale, Middleton, Heywood and Littleborough - with six happily handing over a bladed weapon.

It has been illegal to sell knives to people under 18 since last October.

The revelation came as prime minister Gordon Brown called for more prosecutions against teenagers carrying knives.

And Manchester MP Graham Stringer has repeated his calls for weapons detectors to be placed in schools.

The stores were visited by unpaid 15-year-old volunteers over two days from May 28. If asked their age, the youngsters had to tell the truth.

Six of the stores visited sold knives to the underage customers and those responsible now face fines of up to £5,000 or up to six months behind bars.

Andy Glover, Chief Trading Standards Officer for Rochdale council's Trading Standards Service said: "It is very disappointing and alarming that the retailers visited do not have effective procedures in place to prevent underage sales of knives.

"It is a criminal offence to sell a knife, axe or blade to a person under the age of 18. The outlets which sold a knife to our young volunteers will now be fully investigated with a view to legal proceedings being taken against them."

Councillor Ted Flynn, cabinet member for Rochdale's trading standards, added that officers had done `widespread work to warn traders' of the consequences of illegal knife sales, and this, along with age regulations and proof of age card schemes, meant there was `no excuse for retailers to continue selling knives irresponsibly and illegally'.

Mr Brown is now urging police and the Crown Prosecution Service to take more 16 and 17-year-olds to court for knife crime.

Prosecute

At the moment there is only a 'presumption to prosecute' for over-18s caught carrying blades in knife crime hotspots.

But Mr Brown wants the policy to be rolled out nationally and applied to younger offenders after an alarming spate of stabbings with teenage victims and perpetrators.

A spokesman for the prime minister said: "Some of the concerns that have been raised have been in relation to the fact that on some occasions people charged with knife crime are not subsequently prosecuted."

And in the Commons on Wednesday, Mr Brown said: "Every parent will want their teenage sons and daughters not only to be safe, but feel safe in our neighbourhoods.

"That's why knives are unacceptable and we've got to do everything in our power to deter them."

Manchester MP Graham Stringer has also renewed calls for airport-style weapons detectors to be put in schools.

He told the MEN: "I get fed up of people announcing big initiatives and not tackling the problem in a systematic way.

"A youngster is knifed so there's lots of big statements but actually the world outside doesn't change very much.

"Rochdale's investigation and other recent events should certainly add weight to calls for metal detectors in schools.

"I have always thought that if you ensure that schools and other places were young people congregate are weapons free you really tackle some of the problems by making it very difficult for young people to carry knives. That's more effective than telling a 16-year-old who may have a knife that they will be prosecuted.

"I'm not interested in criminalising young people who believe that carrying a knife is the best way to protect themselves. I want to make sure those weapons are found. I will be continuing to make the case in parliament, in the media, and to ministers for metal detectors in schools."

What do you think? Have your say.