NINE out of twenty establishments failed a 'child sexual expolitation test' during covert operations by Thames Valley Police.

Officers visited hotels and guest houses in North Oxfordshire on Thursday, February 2 and Friday, February 3.

The operation aimed to test the reaction of front-of-house staff when an older man and a teenage girl tried to book a room.

In Bicester, four of the eight establishments visited were willing to rent a room overnightg to a 15-year-old girl and a plainclothes police officer without checking the ID of either person.

In Banbury five establishments failed the test, and six stated they were full or did not have staff available to make a booking.

Only one hotel or guest house in Banbury denied the couple a room.

Sgt Steve Willis of the Bicester Town Neighbourhood Policing Team said: "We want to support hoteliers so they can recognise the signs of CSE and prevent children becoming victims.

"Running operations like this allows us to practically test how local businesses react to a potential CSE and we can then use the results of such operations to help shape further staff training."

He added that some hotel staff had asked 'probing' questions of the undercover police officer and the girl, and then subsequently reported their concerns to TVP.

Sgt Willis added: "This is exactly what we want to see and they have set the benchmark that we want some of the others to now reach."

Police will now work with businesses that failed the test to ensure they ask for ID when an adult tries to book a room with a child.

Chief Inspector Emma Garside, deputy police commander for Cherwell and West Oxfordshire local police area, said: "The results of this test purchasing operation show valuable lessons are still to be learned.

"Our inability to book more hotel rooms was found to be more due to lack of availability rather than the actions of hotel staff. 

"In every case where it is believed that a customer is seeking to obtain a hotel room for a person under 18 years of age, staff should ask for identification of all guests and contact police immediately with their concerns. 

"There is a Hotel Watch scheme in place and these operations will continue to ensure the safety of those living and working in our area."

Cllr Tony Ilott, Cherwell District Council's lead member for public protection, said: "The safeguarding and protection of children is of the utmost importance, so it is vital that we carry out these checks and balances in order to ensure nothing is being missed.

"We all have a duty to keep a watching eye out for anything that we may think is suspicious, and I would encourage anyone who suspects that they may have seen something untoward, to be proactive in reporting any such incidents."

The operation was a follow-up to tests undertaken on March 18 last year.