NEARLY a dozen shops in Southampton sold youngsters knives, including one which sold a 13-year-old an axe.

As part of an undercover operation by Southampton Neighbourhood Policing teams, 10 stores failed testing by selling bladed articles to a person under the age of 18.

Officers enlisted the help of test purchasers who visited 31 businesses throughout the city as part of a week-long operation tackling knife crime.

The purchasers were all aged between 13 and 15-years-old and were asked to go into various shops to try and purchase a knife.

The 10 sales occurred despite prompts on point of sale systems that remind cashiers to ask for identification on prohibited items.

PC Mark Kingston from Southampton East Neighbourhood Policing Team, said the results of the investigation, which is called Operation Sceptre, were "disappointing".

He added: "Correct procedures must be practised to prevent young people from easily obtaining knives and potentially putting their lives, or the lives of others, at risk.

"These operations are about keeping Southampton safer and ensuring retailers uphold their responsibilities in investing in that too.

"We’re really happy with the positive results from the stores that passed and we will keep doing all we can to raise awareness about knife crime and retail responsibility. All the stores will be subject to future testing to ensure consistent compliance."

The operation was carried out with the assistance of Southampton Trading Standards, who are responsible for ensuring businesses implement adequate training programmes and maintain accurate record keeping.

The cashiers were dealt with by way of community resolutions with conditions that included having to take responsibility for their training and its implementation and to ‘Challenge 25.’

Earlier this year, new figures from the Home Office showed Hampshire Constabulary recorded 828 crimes in which knives were used between October 2016 and September 2017, an increase of 145 per cent on the same period in 2012/13.

At the time Hampshire police bosses admit there has been an increase in knife crime recordings across the county.

However the force’s lead for knife crime, chief inspector Claire Taylor, says the force is working hard to combat knife related crime.