In this case the 16-year-olds were in fact volunteers acting for the Peterborough Evening Partnership organisation which involves the police and the city council. It is disappointing that in this particular operation three city centre premises were prepared to sell booze to kids. It shows that some off-licence staff are still failing to challenge young customers.

The bottom line is that all shops which sell alcohol have to play a responsible role in the bid to stop hooliganism and violence on our streets.

There is no doubt that much of the trouble we see today, including intimidating behaviour and attacks on innocent residents is fulled by young people getting their hands on drink. Indeed health experts are now alarmed at the number of teenagers who are suffering from health problems, including liver damage, which are associated with binge drinking.

Youngsters tend to hang around off-licences and will use any scam to persuade shop staff to sell them drink. That's why it is important for shop managers to impress on their staff the need to be rigid and demand proof of age.

If they don't, then they stand a good chance of facing heavy fines and possibly the loss of their licence.

And on that bombshell...

GOOD to see a happy ending for two couples facing disaster when a bomb find hit their wedding plans. Love did find a way.