AN 18-year-old youth has been given an on the spot fine of £80 after he admitted buying alcohol for under age children.

The teenager was seen by police with the group of 14 and 15 year-old boys and after questioning he admitted buying them 40 cans of beer and a bottle of Jack Daniels.

Patrolling officers saw the group at 6pm on Monday in Stephens Street, Breightmet.

The youths were spotted swigging from cans in the street and had the drinks confiscated by officers.

Among them was the 18-year-old who bought the alcohol for the youngsters from a nearby off-licence.

He is one of a handful of people to be handed a £80 fixed penalty fine under new police powers to tackle teenage drinking.

Breightmet councillor Robert Wilkinson said: "This is more a less a problem which had been confined to weekends and it's of great concern that children well below the legal age for drinking are getting hold of this amount of alcohol, especially on a week night." Police have vowed to use the new powers to crackdown on anti-social behaviour.

The first person to be handed a fine was 19-year-old man who supplied two girls, aged 15, with cans of lager and bottles of WKD alcopop in November.

Insp Tony Kenyon of Bolton Police said: "Supplying alcohol to children is against the law. It can be directly linked to anti-social behaviour and poses a threat to the welfare of young people.

"For that reason we will continue to target and prosecute those responsible."