Community Life

Police fears that underage children are able to buy knives in Newham have been confirmed by a Trading Standards undercover sting, in which a 13-year-old test purchaser was sold a knife.

She bought a craft knife and some blades for one pound at the Pound Express store on 340-342 Green Street in Upton Park without being asked for her age or identification

Inspector Simon Thomas, from the Metropolitan Police in Newham, said that he had previously received anecdotal evidence of knives being sold to underage youths in Newham.

"There have been a number of knife-related incidents in the area and we're concerned that youth don't get a negative impact," he said. Fears of knife crime in the borough have been heightened since the fatal stabbing of teenager Adam Regis in Plaistow in March 2007.

Trading Standards officer, Phil Clark, who questioned the manager of Pound Express following the sting, told BBC London that he would investigate the legal breach but would not be prosecuting the owner. He said that it was important that other retailers were deterred from similar breaches in the future.

The Trading Standards sting was part of wider police efforts, known as Operation Street Pride, to stop anti-social behaviour on Green Street, which is a busy shopping and tourism hub in Newham. It follows a similar, successful operation on High Street North in East Ham.

Newham and Tower Hamlets reporter Angela Saini filmed the trading standards undercover operation on Green Street. To watch her report click on the link above.

angela.saini@bbc.co.uk