Friday, May 22, 2026
Fylde Police and Lancashire County Council Trading Standards have carried out a recent test purchasing operation, targeting the sale of knives and other bladed items to underage buyers.
On Monday 18th May 2026, officers and Trading Standards visited seven stores across Fylde following concerns raised by members of the public about potential unlawful sales.
During the operation, one premises failed to carry out the required age‑verification checks, selling a retractable knife to a 14-year-old. Lancashire Council Council’s Trading Standards team will be working directly with the store as a result.
All other six stores passed the test purchasing.
This activity was undertaken as part of Sceptre, a national campaign tackling knife crime through enforcement, prevention, education and community engagement. The week of action is led by Lancashire’s Violence Reduction Network (LVRN), part of the Office of the Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner and works under Commissioner Clive Grunshaw to bring together organisations across local communities to tackle the underlying causes that contribute to serious violent crime.
Neighbourhood Policing Sgt for Fylde, Adam Robinson, said: “This operation demonstrates the importance of proactive enforcement in preventing knife sales to underage individuals.
“The results are encouraging and show that the majority of retailers are acting responsibly, but where standards fall short, we will take appropriate action. Our priority is to work with businesses and our colleagues at Lancashire County Council to ensure compliance and keep young people safe.”
Councillor Joshua Roberts, cabinet member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities at Lancashire County Council said: “Hard-hitting operations like Sceptre show the strength of joint working between our Trading Standards team and the police to tackle knife crime head-on and hold offenders to account.
"The impact of knife crime on families and communities can be devastating. Stopping young people from accessing knives must remain a priority, and it is extremely worrying that some retailers were prepared to sell to underage customers.
“The partnership play a vital role in protecting the public, and we will continue to work to keep Lancashire’s communities safe, particularly young people."
Lancashire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive Grunshaw, said: “Knife crime isn’t an issue policing can solve in isolation. Stopping the sale and supply of knives solely intended to harm, along with supply to young people is an issue we can only address by working in partnership. It's encouraging to see the proactive work of the Trading Standards Team and local officers in tackling this issue at its source.
“Tackling knife crime is about much more than seizing knives and making arrests. Through my Violence Reduction Network, I will continue to champion initiatives that prevent and intervene in serious violence, helping to make Lancashire a safer place for everyone.”