Shropshire youngsters are using the internet to get booze delivered direct to their doorstep, it was revealed today.

Children are taking advantage of prepaid debit cards to buy alcohol online as few checks are in place by some retailers to verify exactly who they are selling to and how old they are.

Trading Standards bosses today said the scam was becoming a real issue of concern in Shropshire.

It comes as they also revealed they would be using new techniques, including asking underage teenagers to dress older and don make-up, in a bid to catch out rogue pub landlords who flout licensing laws.

Shropshire Council’s public protection team is set to present the idea to a watchdog committee of councillors next week after a request from police to clamp down on pubs serving booze to those under 18.

David Edwards, from the council, said youngsters buying alcohol over the internet was a problem emerging across the whole country. He said: “We haven’t pursued this area with any energy as yet, but it’s something we are looking at.

“We recognise that the internet is the future for a whole range of buying and selling activity. We are going to be looking at the internet in relation to alcohol sales as opposed to just shops.”

A report to the council’s strategic licensing committee, which meets on Tuesday, says: “An emerging issue is the purchase of alcohol by young people over the internet using pre-paid debit cards, with a number of authorities reporting levels of compliance by online retailers as low as seven per cent. This emerging market again poses new challenges for a traditional test purchase regime.”

Mr Edwards said following a request by West Mercia Police they were also now proposing to make test purchases at pubs more realistic. He said: “At the moment we are following a rather tight regime whereby the volunteers don’t wear any make-up and when asked questions they must answer truthfully.

Older

“But that is not the real world. Volunteers could now be asked to dress themselves up as if they are going for a night out and could wear make-up to make themselves look older.”

“They might be told to say an age if asked. The important point to make is that we are trying to replicate what happens every Friday and Saturday night at pubs already.”

Volunteers will also be handed fake proof of age cards to ensure that pubs and clubs have stringent ID checks in place. Trading Standards officers are expected to be responsible for recruiting and directing the volunteers.