Teenage binge drinking toll shown

The figures relate to 15- to 16-year-olds in the North West of England and stem from a study of 9,833 such youngsters.

The report, produced by the Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University, Trading Standards North West and the Home Office, showed of 190,000 15- to 16-year-olds 57,000 binge-drink by taking five or more drinks in one session.

Also, as many as 40% of teenagers in poor areas binge drink; just under half of those surveyed drank at least once a week, with 40% of girls and 42% of boys later involved in violence.

Poor children were 45% more likely to be violent after drinking than children in affluent areas, the report said.

Professor Mark Bellis, co-author of the report and director of the Centre for Public Health, said: "These figures highlight the sheer quantity of alcohol being consumed by under-age drinkers across the North West.

"Sadly, there is still practically no information publicly available on what is a safe amount of alcohol for children to consume or on how parents can best moderate their children's drinking.

"All too often such bingeing and violence not only damages children's lives but also results in whole communities feeling threatened by gangs of drunk teenagers."

The findings are published just weeks after three teenagers were jailed for the murder of father-of-three Garry Newlove, 47, in Warrington.

On Thursday, Brendan Harris, 15, was convicted of murdering Goth Sophie Lancaster in Lancashire after drinking two litres of cider, a bottle of Stella Artois and peach schnapps.