A NATIONAL retailer was among four stores that failed to challenge a child attempting to buy an axe.

Police officers carried out safety sweeps in parks across Littlehampton as part of Operation Safety to check for hidden weapons, while police cadets conducted test purchases at nine stores.

The scheme aimed to disrupt crime and raise awareness of the dangers of carrying knives.

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One of the stores - a major national retailer - failed to challenge a 16-year-old purchaser who bought an axe.

In total, four out of the nine stores failed the test purchase.

Sales assistants at three of the stores were investigated and an education session was given to the fourth store which had failed.

Test purchases are designed to test whether stores are adopting the Challenge 25 scheme and to educate retailers which fail to challenge young teenagers from buying knives and bladed items.

A woman was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs and a man was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs and a knuckle duster as a result of the day of action in Littlehampton.

Sergeant Scott Walters said ensuring stores don’t sell bladed items is “crucial” in ensuring communities are safe.

“We want retailers to work with us to prevent sale of dangerous items to children,” he said.

“Where repeated failures are found, regional and national management is engaged to ensure staff are well educated and trained to challenge anyone who appears under 25 and cannot prove they are over 18.”

Sgt Walters said the punishment for selling a knife to a child can be anything ranging from an unlimited fine to six-months imprisonment.

Similar action days have been held at Brighton Railway Station and in Bexhill and Eastbourne in recent weeks.

Sgt Walters said: “Operation Safety will continue to target those thought to be conducting criminal activity and reduce the presence of weapons in our community.

“The Offensive Weapons Act now makes possession of prohibited weapons such as knuckle dusters, flick knives and other lethal object an offence, even in private.

“We will actively pursue intelligence about being kept in private to ensure they are removed from circulation and to lower the risk of them being used for violence.”

You can report knife crime online or by calling 101. In an emergency always call 999. To report knife crime anonymously go to https://www.fearless.org/en/give-info.