Almost all shops in Medway selling e-cigarettes have been caught breaking the law by letting children buy addictive nicotine products.

Medway Council Trading Standards officers sent a 14-year-old volunteer into eight shops, and he was able to illegally buy the items from seven of them.

The e-lites stall in the Pentagon Shopping Centre was the only one which checked for age, out of all the shops - mostly in Chatham and Gillingham.

Under new legislation brought in on October 1, under Nicotine Inhaling Products Regulations 2015, retailers selling e-cigarettes or their pre-filled refill cartridges and refill liquids that contain nicotine to under 18s, could be fined £2,500.

On previous occasions Ian Gilmore, from Medway’s Trading Standards team, has said that children may be attracted to the products because of the sweet flavours available - including bubble-gum, Fanta orange and tutti-frutti - but it’s up to retailers to check ID before making a sale.

Trading Standards will now be writing warning letters to the seven retailers who did sell products to a 14-year-old as part of their operation, because the legislation is relatively new.

Medway Council’s head of Trading Standards Cllr Jane Chitty said: “It is disappointing to see these products which contain nicotine, an extremely addictive substance, being sold so readily to a 14-year-old.

"The officers in Medway’s Trading Standards team will be working hard to educate these businesses on their legal responsibilities and the simple steps that will avoid illegal sales.

“Anyone caught selling these products, after this offer of advice, faces the prospect of legal action and a potential fine of £2,500."

Anyone with any concerns over the sale of any age restricted products should contact Medway Council’s Trading Standards team on 01634 334455.