TWO months after a North-East shopkeeper was left brain damaged after a row over cigarettes, a campaign has been launched to curb underage sales.

Eight out of ten North-East shopkeepers said they had been abused after refusing to sell cigarettes to people under 16.

Traders in the region are backing a "No Identification - No Sale" campaign to encourage young people to carry picture identity cards.

Rakhvinder Singh Garcha, 29, was working at his family's convenience store in Faverdale, Darlington, in November when he was involved in an incident.

An argument broke out after Mr Garcha refused to sell cigarette's to a customer's teenage son.

It spilled outside and Mr Garcha was driven 40 yards on the bonnet of the man's car before he was thrown to the road.

Alan Rees, 37, from Auckland Avenue, Darlington, was jailed for four years after a court convicted him of causing grievous bodily harm and dangerous driving.

Darlington shopkeeper John Abbott, a spokesman for the Tobacco Alliance, said: "It is often difficult to deal with young people when you ask them to prove their age, because we have nowhere to turn, and we are often faced with violence and aggression when we refuse sales.

"A clear message at the point-of-sale, which is what this campaign provides, will help us handle such situations."

Packs of materials are being issued to 100,000 UK retailers over three months.

Russell Sharland, from the Trading Standards Institute, whose members enforce age-related sales legislation, said: "No ID -No Sale seeks to protect both the retailers and shoppers alike.

"It will reinforce an important message to the public and will help to isolate the small minority of rogue retailers."

Youths eligible to buy cigarettes can apply at participating retailers for a free identity card.