AN alcohol vendor has been questioned by licensing officers for selling booze to a child following a multi-agency sting in Ipswich.Trading Standards employees from Suffolk County Council swooped in parts of the south east of the town during an impact day in the Queen's Way area.

AN alcohol vendor has been questioned by licensing officers for selling booze to a child following a multi-agency sting in Ipswich.

Trading Standards employees from Suffolk County Council swooped in parts of the south east of the town during an impact day in the Queen's Way area.

One of the pubs and off licences tested sold a 500ml bottle of Malibu to a child.

Investigations found that the seller was also underage but had asked an adult to authorise the purchase before handing over the bottle. The adult was later questioned by officers.

Earlier in the day, education welfare officers (EWO) returned several pupils to school following a truancy sweep.

Seven unaccompanied children were taken back to class while two found with their parents were also returned.

A further cold call was carried out to discuss education welfare issues, while two parents were challenged by officers outside school for arriving late.

Impact Days have been running in Suffolk since 2004 and are held at random times throughout the year.

Mary Blake, an EWO from Suffolk County Council, said: “If young people are aware we have these days, they are less likely to do it.

“We try to engage with the family and work with the parents to carry out their legal responsibility to see their children in school.

“Part of our role is to safeguard children but also ensure they get an education.”

Is truancy properly dealt with in Suffolk? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk