A COUNCILLOR has vowed to “clean up” an off-licence accused of selling booze to children after becoming supervisor of the controversial shop.

Eileen Ansar, who represents the Cloverhill ward in Nelson, said she became supervisor of Lifestyle Express, in Anglesey Avenue, Burnley, on July 15 and is currently in the process of buying the shop.

Lancashire Police applied to Burnley Council for a review of the shop’s licence after a local resident told officers he had seen youngsters being served booze from the rear of the premises on June 26. However, Coun Ansar said that since she took over as supervisor, extra measures have been introduced to ensure alcohol was not sold to youths.

In a report to Burnley Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee, PC Mark Driver said a police officer saw a 14-year-old girl being served cider from the back door of the premises by shop assistant Atif Ansar, who is Coun Ansar’s stepson.

As a result he was issued with an £80 fixed penalty notice by police. Queensgate Coun Darren Reynolds raised concerns over Coun Ansar’s connections to the shop.

He said: "If someone is making sales out of the back door it shows that they know that what they're doing is wrong, and that they're trying to hide it.”

But Coun Ansar said her stepson denies selling alcohol to children and only accepted the fine to bring a rapid conclusion to the issue.

She stressed current licence holder, Mohammed Ansar, is not her husband, who coincidentally has the same name.