Police bought youths cigarettes

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Two police officers were caught on camera buying cigarettes for a gang of teenagers in Northamptonshire.

Video footage posted on the YouTube website shows the policewomen handing the cigarettes to teenagers on Wellingborough's Kingsway Estate.

In the video, one officer hands over the cigarettes, saying: "They didn't have Lambert & Butler, so I got B&H Silver instead."

The officers have been given "words of advice" about their conduct.

The video has been watched more than 470 times.

Senior officers said the incident was filmed over the summer - before the law changed to make it an offence for anyone to buy cigarettes for under-18s.

'Problematic area'

Senior officers for Northamptonshire Police said the pair would not face disciplinary measures even though their actions were against "force policy".

Supt Pete Windridge said: "This particular incident has already been brought to our attention and has been investigated.

"The incident was at least three months ago on the Kingsway estate in Wellingborough, which can be a problematic area for us regarding anti-social behaviour and youth nuisance.

"Dealing with these types of incidents can be tricky and officers have to use their discretion when doing so.

"However, the approach taken in dealing with this incident does not accord to our force policy and we accept we have a moral obligation not to encourage smoking among young people.

"The laws regarding supplying cigarettes changed in October and clearly this incident occurred before then. None of the persons involved in this incident were under the age of 16."