CHAIRMAN of Horwich Conservatives, Mark Perks has praised a local public house manageress for her action in banning alcopops.

And Mr Perks, a primary school teacher, is calling for Horwich off-licences and supermarkets to be more vigilant when serving these kinds of drinks.

His call follows the decision of Mrs Ann France, of the Blundell Arms, Horwich, to ban alcopops in the pub.

He said a number of local people have also contacted him over their concerns after seeing young children drinking alcopops at night in some of the town's streets.

Mr Perks said " During the past number of weeks, especially now the light nights and warm weather have arrived, I have seen for myself large numbers of children hanging around some of the town's off-licences, some with bottles of Hooch. They are obviously obtaining them from somewhere and it has to be of concern to us.

"Some of these children are of primary school age and it begs the question, what are the parents of these children doing letting them out on the streets well after ten o clock at night?"

Mr Perks, a former town councillor, has also voiced his concerns to local police.

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