TWO teenage girls were sold a 14-inch knife by a market stallholder in Blaenau Gwent, trading standards officers have revealed.

The 14-year-olds were working undercover as part of a Blaenau Gwent council trading standards' test purchase scheme on age-restricted goods, ten days ago.

Council officials say the sale is especially worrying after the fatal stabbing of a teenage boy at a school in England last week.

Barry Protheroe, head of the trading standards department, said: "The death of 14-year-old Luke Walmsley, who was stabbed at his school in Lincolnshire this week, shows the scale of tragedy which can follow when knives fall into the hands of a young person.

"We are alarmed that the girls were easily able to purchase a knife of this size.

"Retailers have to realise they may be contributing to violent crime in the community, and they must be responsible and diligent at all times."

Test purchases in Blaenau Gwent revealed that half of all retailers were prepared to sell knives to underage children.

Hedley McCarthy, executive member for environmental services, said the stallholder responsible would be prosecuted and banned from operating at a market.

"This is of grave concern, especially given the tragic incident last week," he said.

"But I am very pleased with the proactive work of trading standards. This sort of action could save someone's life."

He added: "Our experience has shown that, unchecked, retailers will sell alcohol and knives to young people, but that this can be prevented by education and regular inspections."

In May this year, the council prosecuted retail giants Focus DIY under the Offensive Weapons Act 1996 for selling a £10.99 axe to a 13-year-old boy.

The company was fined a total of £2,500 and ordered to pay £2,000 prosecution costs after admitting the offence.

Carol Morgan, chairwoman of the magistrates, said at the time: "This should be a deterrent to other companies who may fall foul of the law."

However, since trading standards officers began the initiative to educate and warn traders, the proportion of retailers failing to comply with age limits has dropped.

A survey for National Consumer Week showed 46 per cent of UK shops sell knives to youngsters under 16.

Inspector Gary Beak, of Risca police, said: "It is a very worrying development if traders are behaving in this way, and we would certainly be prepared to work with trading standards to eradicate situations like this."