A CRACKDOWN on stores who sell restricted goods to underage youths could lead to more spot checks by trading standards.

Officers at Wiltshire County Council's trading standards tested 71 stores in the county last month by sending 13-year-old children to try and buy fireworks.

Restricted to over 18s, only one store sold fireworks illegally and now faces the prospect of criminal proceedings.

Stores faced a similar spot check by trading standards in August when underage youths were used to try and purchase cigarettes.

But officers, pleased with the success rates of the tests, may start investigating stores selling knives, restricted videos and lottery tickets.

Trading standards officers are already in negotiations with police in a bid to set up checks for stores selling alcohol to under 18s.

The 1997 Firework Safety Regulations Act makes it illegal for a trader to sell fireworks to under 18s, with offenders facing a fine of £5,000 or a six-month prison sentence.

Trading standards officer Sara Hunter said: "We have to follow very strict Home Office guidelines as to the ages of children we use and how we conduct the survey.

"We tend to use children of county council staff and an officer is in the store with the child the whole time.

"The children will look round the store and buy sweets before going up to the counter to ask for specific fireworks.

"All sizes of shops were tested from garden centres to superstores."