THREE children bought knives at an Oxford boot sale in an undercover operation.

Each of the three stalls selling knives at the Kassam Stadium fair on Sunday offered them to under-18s in an Oxfordshire County Council Trading Standards sting.

The teens, two girls and a boy, of “varying ages below 18”, were able to pick up a kitchen knife, a craft knife and a Stanley-type knife.

Two traders were given written warnings and a third, who had failed a similar test a year ago, was arrested and accepted a police caution. It is illegal to sell knives to under 18s.

Sgt Rob Axe, of the Blackbird Leys neighbourhood police team, said: “There were three stalls selling knives and unfortunately all three sold to underage people.

“Trading Standards did their test purchases and then we went in as a neighbourhood team and spoke to the traders.

“Two were given warning letters and one was arrested and given a police caution.

“He did exactly the same thing last year, but he put his hands up and accepted the caution and it’s now on his police record.”

The test was part of Operation Blade, Thames Valley Police’s ongoing anti-knife-crime campaign.

More than 80 police and council staff were out in East Oxford, Blackbird Leys and the city centre on Saturday night in an attempt to catch knife carriers and educate the public. No knives were found but six people were arrested for drugs offences.

Sgt Axe said traders at the Kassam Stadium boot sale must ensure they are selling knives to over 18s.

He said: “There was a degree of ignorance and we often get the same answer, ‘they looked older than they are’, but you have to get a form of identification.

“It’s no use just asking for a date of birth because anyone can make one up.”

He added: “The real concern is that if you’re under 18 you can just pop down to the boot sale and get a knife for 50p.”

Sgt Axe said Trading Standards investigators would be closely monitoring the boot sale and more operations may take place.

tairs@oxfordmail.co.uk