Shopkeepers in spa town Cheltenham have been branded the worst in the country for selling alcohol to children.

Gloucestershire police say off licenses and shops in the town continue to sell alcohol to teenagers as young as 14 without checking.

But councillors said it was up to the police to stop underage drinking and granted a license to one of the shops caught selling alcohol to a teenager.

Police decided to speak out because off licenses did not appear to have learned their lesson since 2005, when three out of four of those tested sold drink to a 15-year-old girl.

Over the past three years police have carried out dozens of operations and tried awareness campaigns to try and change the "lax" attitudes. But the most recent tests show ed half of all off-licenses tested still sold alcohol to children.

"It is my understanding from discussions with Trading Standards colleagues that these results are worse than any other policing area in the UK," said PC Andrew Cook, Gloucestershire police's licensing officer for Cheltenham and Tewkesbury.

"Alcohol is the biggest single factor in crime and disorder and it is imperative licensed premises take a totally responsible attitude to the availability of alcohol."

PC Cook told Cheltenham Borough Council's licensing committee his concerns when they reviewed the license for Bargain Booze in Bath Road which failed four test purchases in two years.

But councillors decided to renew the license and committee chairman Diggory Seacome said: "From a policing point of view, I think we need more raids on these stores, more often. The incidents have to stop and that's the only way to be sure they do."

A spokesman for Bargain Booze in Cheltenham said: "The manager has put procedures in place to ensure alcohol is not sold to underage children."