A COUNCIL'S trading standards unit is warning people it is an offence to sell party-poppers to under-16s.

A ten-year-old schoolboy volunteer visited six High Street premises in east Cleveland that sold the poppers, and was allowed to buy them in two of the shops, contrary to the Fireworks Safety Regulations Act 1997.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's principal trading standards officer, Howard Turton, said: "We have carried out the exercise to raise awareness.

"No formal action will be taken apart from giving advice on how to prevent future sales.

"We are not being party-poopers, but these poppers include warnings to keep away from your eyes and also to use only under close adult supervision.

"There is a new type, too, with a spring mechanism used to discharge the innards.

"So, without careful supervision, it is easy to see what the potential for danger can be."

Trading standards officers said one problem over controlling sales is that the stores involved in selling the party-poppers do not usually sell age-restricted products and that staff were not aware of legislation.

Shops are being given information about the sale of products and are urged to ask young people for identification cards.