Shops selling alcohol in Yarnton are helping prevent under-age teenagers buying drink by putting special stickers on cans and bottles.

Yarnton Service Station and Blenheim Service Station, both in Woodstock Road, are taking part in a scheme called Bottlewatch, after reports of problems with young people drinking alcohol in Yarnton and nearby Begbroke.

Neighbourhood officer Pc Tony Alderman said both garage managers agreed to put about 200 stickers on bottles of drink brands likely to be bought by teenagers, so if any were taken off youngsters, police could trace where they had come from.

He added: “In partnership with Cherwell District Council I was involved with the roll-out of an initiative to try to prevent the sale of alcohol to under 18s, because it had been suggested there was a problem with young people buying alcohol in Yarnton and Begbroke.

“In co-operation with Yarn-ton and Blenheim service stations, bottles of alcohol were marked with coloured, anti-tamper labels.

“If we seize alcohol from underage drinkers or if bottles are left littering an area we will know where they had originated.

“No items with the Bottlewatch stickers have been recovered, but the scheme certainly made the stores’ staff more aware of selling to minors.

“The scheme also proves to the local community that the stores involved aren’t always to blame for under-age sales.”

Both service station managers said they fully supported the police’s clampdown and would continue to use the stickers in the future.

Yarnton Service Station manager Rizwan Mohamed said: “We stuck the stickers on drinks like WKD and lagers, the drinks young people like. We’re very strict on kids. We never even sell them boxes of matches.

“I live in Spencer Avenue in Kidlington and we have problems with kids drinking at night – they get it somehow.

“We’ll always help the police if we can.”

Blenheim services manager Malcolm Jones added: “It’s a very good idea. We have had Trading Standards come in a couple of times and we have always passed, but we’re not complacent.”

Yarnton parish councillor Fred Jones said the council encouraged children to meet up at the village hall and in the park, but that cans and bottles were regularly recovered in both places.

He said: “We just want to ensure outlets selling alcohol aren’t selling to young people. It’s good there was no evidence that any cans and bottles came from the service stations. It’s reassuring, although it raises the question, where are they buying the drink?”

Cherwell is the only district in the county that uses Bottlewatch, according to Thames Valley Police.