Local MP Nick Ainger has put himself in the shoes of a shopworker trying to decide whether a young person is old enough to buy alcohol.

The event in Westminster was part of retail union Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear campaign.

This year the campaign is focusing on the difficult decisions shopworkers face on a daily basis when trying to decide whether someone looks old enough to buy alcohol or other goods.

Mr Ainger said: “This exercise made me realise just how hard it is to tell the age of a young person. Shopworkers have to make that on-the-spot judgement all the time.

“If the shopworker serves someone who is underage, they are liable to an £80 fixed penalty notice, with repeated breaches incurring a court appearance or a fine of up to £1,000.

“Shopworkers aren’t paid huge amounts and they are in the difficult position of having to guess who to challenge. I hope that local shoppers will be patient with shopworkers and produce ID if asked.”