MORE than 50 taxis and scores of off licences across Kirklees were checked by police in a swathe of activity to help keep residents safer.

As part of the National Licensing Week, Kirklees Police licencing officers and colleagues from the Dewsbury and Huddersfield town centre teams visited every off licence in Dewsbury and Huddersfield in spot checks to ensure they were selling alcohol legally and not selling to persons under age.

Businesses CCTV was also checked to ensure it was in working order. 

More than 1,700 illegal cigarettes were seized from one off licence with several referrals made to West Yorkshire Trading Standards for businesses not properly complying with licensing restrictions.

Police also joined  forces with the DVLA to stop and check 51 taxis operating in Kirklees to ensure they were safe and road legal.  

Positively, only a handful of minor issues were found with a handful of the vehicles. 

In other activity, 15 fast food delivery vehicles were inspected by the DVSA with four found to have vehicle defects. Drivers were given prohibition notices in each case. 

Town centre pubs across Kirklees were also visited to ensure that licensing hours were being adhered to, CCTV was working, safeguarding measures were in place and staff training was up to date.