Off-licenses across Tendring are clamping down on youngsters who try to buy booze.

Licensing bosses in the district are celebrating success after 15 off-licences were tested - and all passed.

The joint operation, by police and Essex County Council Trading Standards, saw volunteers aged under 18 try to buy alcohol at off-licences.

The results come following a Government announcement yesterday that there will be a crackdown on off-licences that sell to youngsters in a bid to stop binge drinking and youngsters drinking in public.

David Appleby, police licensing officer for Tendring, said officers tested premises in Clacton, Frinton, Alresford, Harwich and Manningtree.

"Of all those tested not one failed, which is a really good result," he said.

"This is the first time since we have been running the tests that we have had no sales during a test purchase."

The success comes only one year after licensing bosses described a test purchasing exercise in Tendring as a "disaster", when five out of the eight premises tested sold booze to minors.

The members of staff who sold the alcohol to the under-18s were fined and the licensees were interviewed by police.