THE Epping Forest district has one of the highest levels of under-age alcohol sales in the county, according to Trading Standards.

But despite alcohol being sold to two 16-year-old boys at the Co-op Welcome store in North Weald, Epping Forest District Council has decided to ignore complaints after being asked to review the licence.

Trading Standards operational manager Peter Stratton presented evidence to the council's licensing committee showing how two under-age teenagers purchased alcohol from the High Road store.

After the first incident last year, when a boy purchased four cans of Guinness, the store was sent a warning letter, but an employee still failed to ID another underage boy who bought Export Ale when the shop was re-visited later.

The council decided to dismiss evidence from the first test purchaser because of opinions that he appeared to look over the age of 18.

Speaking at last Thursday's meeting, councillor Mitch Cohen said: "This committee wishes to make it clear to all persons who sell alcohol that we will not hesitate to review and revise licences where there's good evidence of sale to under-18s.

"However on this particular occasion Trading Standards has only been able to provide one test sample."

But information presented by the police suggested otherwise.

A witness statement from police licensing officer Simon Fisher said: "I received information in that the Co-op Welcome...was selling alcohol to under-age persons on a regular basis."

The Co-op was warned by Trading Standards last year that a test purchase would be carried out following complaints of underage sales of alcohol from the police.

Adrian Hill, the national dilligence manager for the Co-op, explained how training procedures were in place to ensure all staff were confident in asking for age identification, but admitted: "Sales to children should not happen. We do everything possible to ensure all staff are trained."

The council decided to refuse the application for a licence review because the offence was committed by an employee who had only been working at the Co-op for a short time.

But Mr Stratton urged the council to protect children in the area.

He said: "You should take into consideration that Epping Forest at the moment has one of the highest levels of sales to children throughout the county."