A SCHEME to help stamp out under-age smoking and drinking in the town is to be launched next week.

Worcestershire County Council's trading standards service has teamed up with the national charity, CitizenCard, to provide free proof-of-age cards to all county students aged between 16 and 18.

The aim is to curb the under-age sale of alcohol, cigarettes, solvents, fireworks, lottery cards and classified videos.

The head of trading standards, Clive Graham, said: "Prosecutions taken by the service for age related sales during the past three years prove we have a problem which is why we are introducing this scheme to help traders and licensees.

"We know it is difficult for them to sometimes establish ages but now all they have to say is 'no card - no sale'."

The scheme has received the backing of schools, colleges, the police, Worcestershire Health Authority and retailers and licensees.