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A teenager has been found dead on a Greek island after a massive drinking session.
Andre Young, 17, was holidaying with 12 friends in Malia, Crete, when his body was found in a building site just a mile from his hotel.
He had been celebrating the last night of his week-long stay in the resort and decided to walk home alone. It is believed he died from serious head injuries caused by a fall.
View Body found in Crete in a larger map
Andre's parents Peter and Beverley flew to Crete from their holiday in Saffron Walden, Essex, when his friends reported him missing on Tuesday. They later identified their son at a local hospital.
Bethany Billings, 21, who met Andre during his holiday, is believed to be the last person to see him alive.
She said: “He was proper drunk. He knew he'd had enough and wanted to go home.
“His friends were carrying on but me and my friend were going to get a taxi. Andre asked if we could share. We told him to hang on as we wanted to eat. But when I got my burger I saw him staggering up the street.
“I ran to get him but he disappeared in the crowd. He must have tripped and hit his head.”
Police in Crete has not treating the teenager's death as suspicious.
Bars in the resort have been criticised for selling cheap cocktails and drinks to tourists. Last week, a plumber from Swindon, holidaying in the resort suffered severe burns when a a Greek girl threw sambuca over his gentials claiming he groped her.
Reader views (12)
I knew Andre and am devistated about his death. People need to realise that alchohol is a drug that KILLS more people than all illegal drugs combined every year. It is not to be treated lightly.
- Ed, Cambridge, UK, 14/08/2009 23:04
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You have to wonder how his brother, football star Luke Young, feels about this incident.
- Neil, Kent, 14/08/2009 02:25
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In Italy the quality standards of drink are the same as the Uk. Drink is also comparatively expensive, apart from wine. The only badly behaved British tourists under the influence I have witnessed are, stangely, those over fifty. However, there is nothing better than a high quality glass of wine with your meal. as long as it is moderation.
- Mark, Venice, Italy, 13/08/2009 23:00
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I tend to think the opposite of Charles. Kids are so mollycoddled these days when they are eventually let off the leash they go wild and don't seem to realise they need to look after themselves. Don't get me wrong I am very sorry to read about such a tragedy and yes, I don't really know what the circumstances were with this young man.
- Christine, PORTSMOUTH, 13/08/2009 19:35
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Kokopelli, Nottingham.
When you hear week after week of people being stabbed/beaten by drunken yobs, then yes, I'd defintley put alcohol in the same league as herion. It makes people do things they do not normally do, or would not think of doing, if they were sober. In fact, more domestic violence, vandalism, death by driving and meanigless violence is caused by alcohol than any other substance. Heroin addicts rob sometimes using violence, but when desperate for a hit. If they had just taken herion, they aint moving anywhere.
So to clarify, drunk people cause violence/death or can be excessivly stupid, people on herion don't cause violence, but will when they are NOT on herion to get their next hit.
So yes, alcohol is as bad as heroin. If you think otherwise, then this is probably because your pro alcohol, and fail to see what it does to people.
- Dom, London, 13/08/2009 16:52
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To Bob, Cheam: I'm not sure if you're haveing a "pop" at this newspaper or someone else.
The fact is that very sadly a young man has died in non-violent circmstances. His family and friends will be distraught and this is not the place to take what appears to me to be a cheap shot.
As Bryan says, if he was given a continental version of rot gut, his death might be more to do with that than anything else.
- Captain Black Of The Mysterons, London, England, 13/08/2009 15:39
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Dom, London - Class A? So in your books, alcohol is in the same class as heroin?? Get real. It's not a lack of understanding from "people", it's just the general stupidity of English tourists. How come teens from other countries don't get themselves into situations like this?? It is all down to the irresponsible drinking culture we have in England of drinking until you drop. It has nothing to do with tipping or bars selling cheap drinks to tourists. I'm sure there were tourists from other countries, but you don't hear of them drinking themselves to death. It doesn't matter where in the world you go, if there is alcohol and English tourists in the same vicinity, you have a recipe for trouble - air rage, is another case in point.
- Kokopelli, Nottingham, England, 13/08/2009 15:30
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"Bars in the resort have been criticised for selling cheap cocktails and drinks to tourists"
Nothing to do with tourists drinking way too much then? It's all someone elses fault as usual.
- Bob, Cheam
Bob,
You took the words right out of my mouth!
- Sam, beds, 13/08/2009 15:04
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I'm sorry, but letting a 17 year old boy - not man - go to Crete with his "mates" is just asking for trouble. What did his parents think he was doing; drinking squash and playing Monopoly at night? Very sad, but I do think we let our children off the leash too early; they think they are grown up, but they are not at all.
- Charles Cambridge, Richmond, Surrey, 13/08/2009 14:44
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To Bob of Cheam , you are right tourists do drink too much , but what they are given to drink in bars at some of these resorts is highly questionable.
In England "tipping" , ie pouring cheap cash and carry spirits into proprietary bottles is illegal , and the law is quite well enforced , with regular checks by H.M. Customs and Excise.
In most of these holiday resorts "tipping" cheap spirit ,
and selling it as the top brand , for example Bacardi, is standard practice.It is not only widespread it is endemic.
Whilst taking a short cut thro' the closed bar of a major hotel in Majorca I witnessed barmen "tipping" from a large glass carboy (normally used for storing acid)
into a row of about 15 Bacardi bottles.You do not know WHAT you are drinking !
In many cases , it is the bar owners who are the real scum , not gullible youngsters on holiday.
This experience alone has taught me to look at both sides of a case like this.
After 20 years in the Licenced Trade in England my advice is simple , drink beer , and in moderation.
- Bryan Odell, Knokke , Belgium, 13/08/2009 13:10
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Alcohol kills yet again! When will people understand that this class A drug is very dangerous in large volumes.
- Dom, London, 13/08/2009 12:43
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"Bars in the resort have been criticised for selling cheap cocktails and drinks to tourists"
Nothing to do with tourists drinking way too much then? It's all someone elses fault as usual.
- Bob, Cheam, 13/08/2009 12:21
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