BUSINESSES in Colchester successfully challenged teenagers who tried to buy knives during a joint police operation.

Essex Police worked with Essex County Council’s Trading Standards using a young volunteer with ten businesses in Colchester.

Fenwick, Marks & Spencer, Argos, Poundland, Tindalls, Wilko, Debenhams, Trespass, TK Maxx and The Craft Spot all faced the challenge.

Sgt Martin Willsher, who leads the Colchester Town Centre police team, said: “Our business community plays a vital role in keeping our communities safe by challenging young people looking to purchase knives.

“This recent operation shows businesses are getting the message and are doing their bit in partnership with police and other agencies.

“It’s important we carry out these operations to make sure businesses have stringent practices are in place to protect people shopping and living in Colchester.”

The Trading Standards team is running a project in which 95 per cent of shops across Essex refused to sell a knife to an underage volunteer under test conditions.

Susan Barker, Essex county councillor responsible for customer, corporate, culture and communities, said: “I wholeheartedly endorse this vital work carried out by Essex Trading Standards and Essex Police.

“One of our key strategic priorities at Essex County Council is to secure stronger, safer and more neighbourly communities and this partnership helps us to achieve this by reducing access to knives.”

Police carry out prevention, enforcement and education work with the support of other organisations including Operation Sceptre Essex which has been extended thanks to Home Office funding.

Operation Sceptre includes prevention and enforcement in areas identified as being hotspots for violent crime.

Police are also targeting people who are known to carry knives and acting on information to identify offenders.

If you know someone who is carrying a knife, call 101 or report online at www.essex.police.uk/do-it-online.