A MAN suspected of buying a bottle of wine for a group of children as young as 13 is being sought by police.

He was recorded on CCTV cameras buying a 1.5 litre bottle of booze at BJ's Off-Licence in Bury Road, Breightmet, and was then spotted handing it to a group of youths outside.

Police officers now want to track him down and have released this image in the hope someone will recognise him. Police say their efforts to tackle booze-fuelled crime among youngsters is being undermined by people who buy alcohol for under-age youngsters.

Dozens of £80 on-the-spot-fines have been handed out to people who have been caught handing drink to teenagers.

Police say underage drinking is the main cause of late-night nuisance in the Breightmet area.

They are targeting a number of adults who they suspect of helping to supply youngsters.

PC Mervyn Fox said: "We have done a lot of good work with licensees to stop them selling directly to under-18s but we are seeing an increasing trend of alcohol being bought by adults and then passed on to children.

"People need to realise that supplying alcohol to a youngster is putting that person at risk and helping to contribute to anti-social behaviour.

"The licensees in the area are quite concerned that they are being perceived as the cause of this problem and have co-operated fully with the police."

The incident pictured was at 7.30pm on Thursday, October 25. Anybody who can help ishould contact Astley Bridge police on 0161 856 5761.