A successful proof-of-age card scheme for youngsters is to be extended.

The scheme, which was successfully introduced as a pilot project in the Cherwell area, is being widened to cover Oxford and south Oxfordshire over the next 12 months, with the backing of Oxfordshire County Council.

Operated by the trading standards service, the Validate project provides children with a passport-sized photograph which their school can then confirm with the young person's date of birth. Businesses that sell age-restricted products, such as cigarettes, solvents, fireworks, lottery tickets, videos and alcohol, have all been issued with information packs and posters.

Validate has been very successful in Cherwell, with eight out of the district's ten secondary schools already issuing cards to pupils. The remaining two are aiming to do so by next month.

To date, the take-up of cards by young people has averaged 60 per cent.

As an added incentive, the service had been able to negotiate discounts for card-holders at leisure centres and certain trade premises.

The pilot scheme has received support from various organisations, including the Oxfordshire Health Authority, the Federation of Small Businesses, Thames Valley Police and the Ethnic Minority Business Service.