CHILDREN as young as 14 are able to buy knives in shops across Southampton, a police sting operation has proved.
A haul of kitchen knives, craft knives and other blades were bought by the youngsters without staff in the shops even bothering to check the children's ages.
The worrying results have prompted police in the city to issue a warning to other retailers that they could face prosecutions and even jail sentences if they too are caught selling the potential weapons to children.
The undercover operation comes after a series of knife attacks across the region by youngsters, two of which were fatal.
Full shocking story in tonight's Echo
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