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One in eight retailers sold knives and bladed articles to children - some aged as young as 13 - during a police test purchase operation.

Cadets visited 80 shops across Avon and Somerset, supported by plain-clothed officers, in an attempt to purchase a knife or bladed weapon.

Ten stores unlawfully sold a bladed article to underage cadets. One instance saw a child purchase a machete-style knife.

Ch Insp Mike Vass said: "Any knife sold has the potential to bring tragedy to our communities, something we have seen far too much of in recent months."

A cadet aged 13 said: “It’s worrying, it’s not safe for the public if kids are able to buy knives without ID.”

The operation came just weeks after Avon and Somerset Police sent a letter to the retailers urging them to help in the "fight against knife crime".

Mr Vass, who is Knife Crime Lead for Avon and Somerset Police, continued: "We cannot police our way out of knife crime and serious violence on our own, it needs to be a society-wide approach to address and do all we can to tackle this very real threat to young people, which is why we call on our partners and communities to play their part.

“We have worked closely with Bristol City Council Trading Standards to ensure that all available sanctions are considered when dealing with those retailers who failed their test purchase, prosecuting where we can and providing education programmes and targeted work to ensure that lessons are learned to prevent knives getting into the wrong hands.”