FIVE shops in Bury sold knives to 13-year-old girls during the Easter Holidays.

The two girls were volunteers for Bury Council working as part of a trading standards and licensing operation.

During the holidays they visited 50 shops, pubs and gambling premises across the borough attempting to buy products from knives and alcohol to cigarettes, e-cigarette liquids and DVDs.

All of these items are age restricted and it is illegal to sell most of these products to anyone aged under 18.

The girls also tried to play fruit machines, which carry a minimum age of 18.

A total of 30 of the premises refused to sell items to the girls.

However, the girls were able to buy seven knives from five shops without being asked for identification.

Bury Council has since notified the shops and launched a series of investigations.

Angela Lomax, head of trading standards and licensing at Bury Council, said: “The results of the test purchase operation are disappointing."

"It’s absolutely vital that retailers and licensed premises in the borough have measures in place to prevent under-age sales of all age-restricted products, but in particular knives, given the current problems relating to knife crime nationally.

"Staff should be properly trained to prevent knives getting into the hands of children.

“We are committed to working with our partners including Greater Manchester Police to combat the problem of knife crime, and will be taking relevant action against the retailers who failed the operation."