Two tanning salons in Bradford were caught allowing a 14-year-old girl to use their sun beds during a test purchase operation in the city.

West Yorkshire Trading Standards officers visited five shops in Bradford for the week-long campaign, aimed at finding out whether salons were allowing children under 18 illegal access to sun beds.

Since April this year it has been against the law for businesses to offer sun beds to under-18-year-olds due to concerns over links between UV rays and skin cancer.

Salons failing to comply face fines of up to £20,000.

The operation, which also involved environmental health officers, saw test purchase operations carried out at 25 salons in West Yorkshire using the 14-year-old female test purchaser. Sales were made at 11 of the businesses.

Ruth Lees, Bradford Council's principal environmental health manager said: "We have written to all sun bed shops advising them of the new legislation."

email: hannah.baker@telegraphandargus.co.uk ends