New survey highlights UK binge drinking problem

A new survey released by the NHS Information Centre has prompted a warning over the damage of underage binge drinking.

The results show that in some areas of the country children as young as 11 are consuming the equivalent of nearly two bottles of wine a week.

Professor Ian Gilmore, the president of the Royal College of Physicians, warned that the figures demonstrated that drinking among teens had moved from "experimentation" into a "more dangerous territory".

He added: "Regular consumption at these levels, especially when compressed into heavy sessions at the weekend, puts boys and girls at considerable risk."

Mr Gilmore believes that for some youngsters heavy drinking at this age will have serious implications in later life, especially on learning and problem-solving skills.

The north east was the worst performing region in England, with one in four 11 to 15-year-olds drinking.

The Office for National Statistics has revealed that alcohol-related deaths have more than doubled since the early 1990s

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