DOZENS of shop owners across Darlington face being "named and shamed" if they are found to have illegally sold fireworks to youngsters, it emerged yesterday.

Police and council chiefs are joining forces in a major crackdown aimed at dramatically reducing the potential for tragedy in the run-up to this year's Bonfire Night.

The initiative will see a joint letter from senior police and borough council chiefs being sent to 60 retailers in the town.

As well as reminding them that it is an offence to sell fireworks and sparklers to under-18s, it will also warn of the possible consequences of doing so. Retailers are being asked to restrict the sale of fireworks only to the fortnight leading up to Guy Fawkes' Night.

Council officials warned that any retailers found to have illegally sold fireworks to youngsters would be publicly named and shamed, and that manufacturers would be urged to consider whether they should supply them in future.

Safety experts hope the move could lead to a reduction in the number of firework-related injuries - there were 258 in the North last year.

Chief Superintendent Michael Banks, of Darlington Police, who has co-written the letter, appealed for shop owners to act responsibly.

"At this time of year people do have problems with the abuse and misuse of fireworks," he said.

"We are appealing to responsible shop owners and retailers to do their bit to reduce the possibility of distress caused to the elderly and vulnerable in society."

Councillor Stephen Harker, the borough council's cabinet member for education, said: "We are asking shopkeepers to co-operate with us to try to reduce the number of accidents and nuisance caused by fireworks. We hope they will agree to restrict sales to the two weeks leading up to Bonfire Night and we will be reminding them of the law concerning sales of fireworks to people under 18."