A CRACKDOWN has been launched on unscrupulous employers who exploit very young children during the summer holidays.

Over the next few weeks council officials will patrol the city on the look-out for young children who are illegally employed by milkmen, shopkeepers, hotels and restaurants.

Those employers caught out by the patrols could face a fine of £1,000, three months in prison — or both.

Despite it being illegal to employ children under the age of 13, officials at Manchester City Council believe the law is widely flouted.

The Manchester Evening News has already played its part in the city-wide campaign by distributing information on employment legislation to almost 1,000 newsagents.

Manchester’s executive member for education Coun Bernard Stone hopes the patrols will send a clear message to the city’s rogue employers.

Safety risk

He said: ‘‘It is a scandal that in this day and age there are a few unscrupulous employers who exploit children by employing them illegally - often putting their safety at risk.’’

‘‘We are determined to stamp out such practices and the message is clear: when we discover that the law has been broken we will prosecute.’’

Applying for work permits for children aged 13 to 16 is a simple process which costs nothing.

The permit ensures that children are legally and safely employed. And should youngsters have an accident at work they are then insured.

Earlier this year a report by the TUC highlighted the extent of the problem nationally.

It estimated that 500,000 children nationwide are employed illegally and 100,000 skip school to do paid work.

According to the report, one pupil in four under 13 is believed to have a paid job. Some employers are unaware of the law but many more choose to ignore it.

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