Shops in Swale have been caught selling alcohol and e-cigarettes to children.

Officers from the town centre teams in Sittingbourne and Sheerness worked with five police cadets as part of a proactive operation to safeguard young people

On Saturday the volunteers, aged between 14 and 16, visited 11 shops and attempted to buy alcohol and e-cigarettes.

You can only buy alcohol in supermarkets, off-licences, pubs, hotels or restaurants if you are 18 or older.

If the seller has doubts about your age they must ask how old you are.

Challenge 25 is a retailing strategy that reinforces this.

It encourages anyone who is over 18 but looks under 25 to carry acceptable ID if they wish to buy alcohol.

Three shops in Sittingbourne and two shops in Sheerness refused to sell the goods after asking for identification, however one shop sold a cadet two e-cigarettes, while another handed over alcohol without checking ID.

In Sheerness another shop sold two e-cigarettes to one of the cadets while a wine vendor also failed to ask for identification and sold one of the teenagers alcohol.

One store is Sittingbourne nearly carried out the sale but then refused while another in Sheerness requested cash after a cadet tried to purchase booze.

Officers issued £90 fines and penalty notices to the shops which sold alcohol illegally, while those which sold the e-cigarettes were given advice.

The findings have also been passed onto trading standards officers who will now carry out their own investigation.

Swale community safety unit Inspector, Paul Stoner, said: "We regularly carry out test purchases to ensure that local businesses are operating within the law.

"Businesses have a responsibility to local communities and those who work and live within the area, and it is disappointing when they do not abide by the rules.

"The action was not about calling-out businesses but to ensure they all understand they have a responsibility to help safeguard young people and must operate within the law."