A pub and a shop have been caught selling booze to under-18s.

A barmaid at the Red Lion in Shoreham and a shop assistant at HD Food and Wine in Worthing sold alcohol when Sussex Police carried out test purchases at off-licences, pubs and supermarkets.

A total of seven premises were visited using volunteers aged 15 and 16.

Natalie Parker, owner of The Red Lion, in Old Shoreham Road, described the operation as “entrapment”.

She said: “We are not a high street pub that has youngsters in here.

“It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Entrapment is making an innocent law-abiding person commit an offence they would not have committed.

“They should be cracking down on the nightclubs where they have youngsters in every Friday night but they come into a pub with no history of that.”

The barmaid at The Red Lion is to be interviewed by police, while the shop assistant at HD Food & Wine in Ham Road, Worthing, was given a £90 fixed-penalty notice.

Shop staff refused to sell alcohol to the children at Magnet News and The Offie in Crabtree Lane, Lancing, at the Co-op in Ham Road, Worthing, at The Three Fishes pub in Chapel Road, Worthing, and at Morrisons in Littlehampton.

Jean Irving, Sussex Police’s head of licensing and public safety, said: “It is unacceptable for any premises to sell alcohol to children and we will continue to run operations to ensure shops, pubs and clubs are not breaking the law.

“Young people becoming intoxicated not only puts them in danger but can also lead to crime and antisocial behaviour, which can have a big impact on local communities.

“We take this type of incident very seriously and will take robust action against any licensed premises that puts young people at risk of harm.”

The Argus was unable to contact anyone from HD Food & Wine yesterday.

If you know or suspect children are being sold alcohol, email 101@sussex. pnn.police.uk, call 101 or call independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.