PARENTS have been warned about the dangers of their children buying fake IDs after cards were discovered circulating in a Selby district school.

The warning came after the mother of a 16-year-old girl at Sherburn High School called police when she found her daughter had bought a false ID to buy alcohol.

Tim Grogan, the council's licensing officer, said today: "It is a massive concern. She is aware many of her daughter's friends have similar fake IDs and these individuals are all 15 years of age. This is increasingly being reported to me."

The woman, who asked not to be named, discovered her daughter had ordered the card from an internet site boasting "the best in fake ID" with "realistic designs."

She said: "I feel really passionately about it. It gives them access to bars and clubs. My worry is that it is not just a couple of cans of lager or cider.

"They go to a club and get drunk and then something terrible happens, and at 15 they are not able to cope with that."

The card resembles an authentic UK driving licence. It is pink and has "national identification" written in bold type, alongside the European Union and Union flags, photos and personal details.

Mr Grogan said the fake cards were "readily accessible" across the district.

He said up to 12 young people a night were turned away from Selby's Kans nightclub with false identity cards.

He said: "I am sending out a warning to parents who have got children who are 15 and also to schools that they should be aware this is what is going on."

PC Wayne Leach, of Selby Police confirmed detectives had been told about the incident and branded the sale of fake IDs on the internet "despicable".

He said: "They can be taken very easily off the internet and it makes our job that bit harder. Being extremely vigilant is the name of the game really."

Carl Sugden, head teacher at Sherburn High School, said: "We have got no information to suggest that this is in any way connected with the school, but we will be checking our computer records to see if our pupils have been accessing these sorts of sites."

Updated: 10:16 Tuesday, February 14, 2006