A 47-year-old man has been charged after a shop in Tranent failed an alcohol test purchase.

Police carried out a series of tests at 35 stores across East Lothian last weekend.

The checks, which involved officers sending under-age teenagers into the shops to try and buy alcohol, saw 34 of the 35 pass after staff asked for ID and refused to sell to the under-18s.

However officers said one shop failed in Tranent and a 47-year-old man was subsequently charged with an offence under the Licensing Scotland Act 2005.

The tests were carried out between Thursday, December 1 and Saturday December 3, in Tranent, Macmerry, Cockenzie and Port Seton, Prestonpans, Musselburgh, Wallyford, Whitecraig and Haddington.

Inspector Andy Harborow from Tranent Police Station said: “Our communities have previously identified underage drinking and the associated anti-social behaviour and disorder, which can arise, as a priority for police in East Lothian to tackle and that is one of the reasons we regularly conduct alcohol test purchasing throughout the region.

“Another reason is to protect young people from coming to harm and licensed premises staff have a key role to play in assisting us with this.

“I would like to thank and praise the overwhelming majority of stores within East Lothian who complied fully with the terms of their licenses and demonstrated their capabilities as responsible alcohol retailers.

“We will continue to carry out alcohol-test purchasing and any licensing offences detected will be reported accordingly.”