SIX shops sold alcohol to underage customers in a trading standards bust, prompting a warning to shopkeepers to remember their responsibilities during the World Cup.

In a two-day operation involving 20 shops across the borough, six of them sold alcohol to police cadets.

Four of the six shops breaching regulations were in Golders Green, and the results have sparked concern that some traders are not paying sufficient attention to customers ages, Barnet Council officers said.

A statement from the council said the figures showed a “steady reduction” in the number of shopkeepers selling alcohol illegally in recent years.

Councillor Joanna Tambourides, cabinet member for community safety and cohesion, warned shopkeepers that the council will be clamping down hard on underage sales.

She said: "Just three months ago, figures were published showing that retailers were being much more responsible at selling age-restricted products so this latest operation does present a concern.

"While I have no doubt that these results do not reflect what is happening in every area of the borough, our trading standards officers will make sure that shopkeepers who have sold alcohol to under-18s this time are told clearly that underage selling of age-restricted items will not be tolerated in Barnet."

Officers are further analysing the results of the operation before deciding the course of action to take with each shop found to be selling illegally. Extra advice is also going to be distributed to shopkeepers over the coming weeks.

Anyone aware of a shop regularly selling alcohol to under-18s can call trading standards on 020 8359 2178.