A SCHEME to combat children buying alcohol, cigarettes and fireworks has been launched.
The Kirklees Proof of Age Partnership will provide every teenager in Kirklees with a card shopkeepers can ask to see before selling them age restricted goods.
Similar schemes in Leeds, Wakefield and Calderdale have proved a huge success.
A photographer has already started visiting all the secondary schools and colleges in Kirklees to take pupils' pictures and issue cards.
Trading Standards and Kirklees Council have worked together to get the project off the ground.
Liz McCartney, of West Yorkshire Trading Standards, said all teenagers in Kirklees should have a card by spring next year.
"It is going well. We have already visited a lot of the schools in the area ," she said.
"All the schools have been very supportive which has made it run very smoothly."
Shopkeepers are being urged to conduct a no card, no sale system to stop under 18s buying alcohol and fireworks.
Chairman of the Kirklees Safer Communities Partnership, Clr Ann Raistrick, believes the proof of age card will mean less anti-social behaviour and safer streets.
"I am really pleased by the total commitment of the council, schools and trading standards to make sure this scheme started," she said.
"I am convinced it will make a huge difference and stop cigarettes, alcohol and fireworks being sold to young people.
"The knock-on effect of this will be less anti-social behaviour.
"I am sure shopkeepers will support the scheme because it is in their interests to make sure they are not breaking the law. We have already started to combat this problem. This year there were less problems with fireworks."
The scheme has been given three years' funding by the council.
Clr Tony Brice believed the cards would be a great tool against anti-social behaviour.
He said: "I am delighted we are tackling this problem in such a positive way. It will be a success."
To celebrate the official launch of the card sponsors handed out prizes to some pupils who have already had their pictures taken. Prizes included a home computer, DVD players and a personal CD player.
