Black Country off-licences are signing up to a new scheme to crack down on under-age drinking.

The new project, covering the Upper Gornal and Castle and Priory wards of Dudley, will be similar to Pub Watch schemes.

Off-licence bosses will stay in touch with police and other partners and share information about persistant under-age drinkers trying to buy booze. They are also signing up to a code of responsibility vowing to stop those under 18 getting their hands on alcohol.

The scheme kicked off yesterday and 15 off-licences have already signed up to the scheme, one of the first of its kind in the borough. The latest to sign up was Priory Wines.

Sgt Chris Farley said: “The overall aim is to reduce the sale of alcohol to underage people, as a result that will cut down the associated problems of underage drinking.

“We also want all off-licences to be working off the same protocol to discourage underage drinking.”

Among the aims will be to introduce proof of age standards as well as posters about alcohol awareness and training from trading standards for staff.

It is hoped off licences will also be able to introduce bottle badging.

It will mean police will be able to track which off licences under-age bingers bought their alcohol from via a barcode on bottle tops.

Sgt Farley said: “The funding is there for the bottle badging but as I understand it there has just been some delay with the badges.

“But it is something we really hope to see as that will be a big help.”

Measures will also be drafted in to stop youths congregating outside shops and radios given out so shopkeepers can stay in touch with police and other off licences as well as pub landlords in the area.

By Ben Lammas