Lancashire teens able to buy knives in one in four shops during undercover tests
12 out of 49 Lancashire shops sold knives to teens under 18
Teenagers were able to buy knives from a quarter of shops tested during undercover operations across Lancashire.
Lancashire Trading Standards and Lancashire Police carried out the checks as part of Sceptre - a national week (from 16 May to 23 May) targeting knife crime.
Volunteer 'test purchasers' aged between 14 and 16 visited 49 shops in Lancashire last week to try and buy blades.
12 stores sold a knife to someone under 18.
Lancashire County Council say the results are an improvement compared to the last operation in November 2025, when one in three shops failed the tests.
Trading Standards also investigated online knife sales.
21 Lancashire businesses were found to be selling knives online.
Officers have only able to attempt purchases from seven of them so far. Two deliveries have already been received.
Councillor Joshua Roberts said: "It is deeply troubling that local businesses were ready to sell knives to children."
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, helping to tackle the issue at its root."