Staggering out of control

SWINDON police cells are increasingly being used as resting places for drunks who can't remember how to get home.

Wiltshire's principal police surgeon Dr Peter Crouch has witnessed an alarming rise in the number of intoxicated people needing medical care following a night on the town.

And he says the individuals most at fault are young people and, increasingly, women.

The startling news follows last week's publication of the Government's alcohol harm reduction strategy to tackle alcohol-fuelled crime.

A leaked letter from Home Secretary David Blunkett to Prime Minister Tony Blair recently told of his concerns that alcohol-related disorder was spiralling out of control.

And judging from the Evening Advertiser's eye-witness account, it seems that nowhere is this more true than on our streets.

After a busy and stressful week at work it's only natural to want to relax and let your hair down a little.

Swindon town centre, while never quiet, really comes alive at the weekend as revellers head out to the plethora of bars, pubs and clubs.

Happy hours, cut-price admission deals and longer opening hours all add to the "drink more, pay less" attitude seemingly inherent in modern nights on the town.

But few people will think about the potential consequences of their evening's drinking.

Dr Crouch, who is also a partner at Taw Hill Surgery, is on call 24 hours a day. While he has not noticed an increase in alcohol-related problems in his surgery, his police job makes for worrying conclusions.

He said: "In the last two or three years we have seen a huge increase in the number of drunk and incapable people in Swindon.

"And drinks such as alcopops mean younger people and women are drinking more alcohol than in previous years.

"The police will always try and take people home if they are found to be drunk but sometimes they are so intoxicated, and have no identification, that the safest thing to do is take them to the cells where they can sober up.

"It's not unusual for this to take several hours, though, due to the amount of alcohol they have consumed. It's pretty scary.

"The drink drive message still does not seem to be getting across, particularly driving the morning after drinking. People don't seem to realise that if they go out and get bladdered the night before, the chances are they will still be over the limit in the morning."

Plans outlined in the strategy include:

l Safer packaging for drinks products to prevent bottles being used as weapons

l Cheaper soft drinks and free water available at all pubs

l Ending the drink deals such as 'all you can drink for £10' offers

l Providing marshals to help keep the peace in town and city centres at closing time

A police van decked out with CCTV cameras is expected to arrive in Swindon in the next couple of weeks. Insp Simon Dicks of Swindon police said he hoped the unit would be a deterrent to troublemakers.

"It will be an interesting exercise as we hope to identify the key areas of town where alcohol-fuelled crime takes place," he added.

"Alcohol-fuelled crime is a continuing problem for us and will only get worse as the summer approaches. We will also be speaking to pubs and clubs around the area.

"We are still waiting to hear the whole strategy."

Bosses at Swindon brewers, Arkell's, based in Kingsdown, were similarly in the dark about how they might implement the strategy.

Director George Arkell said: "It's too early to say whether or not the safer packaging plan is a good idea. We don't know enough about the strategy to comment.

"We are waiting for proper guidelines to come through from the British Brewers and Pub Association."

South Swindon MP Julia Drown last week urged the Government to quickly step up pressure on booze giants to include health warnings on alcoholic drinks.

She has joined a group of MPs calling on the Department of Health to get smoking-style warnings put on beer and spirits packaging.

A formal motion has been put before Parliament, urging the DoH to step in and get fast results.

Ms Drown welcomed the Government's strategy, which health chiefs hope will tackle Britain's growing drink culture.

But she said it must be followed by concrete action if it is to deliver. The warnings come after Swindon doctors implored tough Government action to tackle the town's growing drink-related health problems.

More than 500 medical professionals signed a petition handed to the Commons by Ms Drown, a former NHS manager. Specialists in alcohol-related diseases, including doctors from the Great Western Hospital, put their names to the campaign.

The hospital admits about 250 patients annually with alcohol-related problems the equivalent of 4,500 bed days a year, which seriously affects bed availability.

According to a Government report released last year the British have the worst record for binge-drinking in Europe.

The study, by the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit, found that one in three men and one in five women fail to drink sensibly. Alcohol was found to be responsible for 22,000 premature deaths each year.

Overall, the British drink less than other Europeans, such as the French or the Germans, but it is our tendency to binge that is causing concern.

Besides the health implications, the Government is also concerned at the effect the culture is having on the economy.

The report says heavy drinking is costing the economy £20 billion a year as around 17 million working days are lost annually because of hangovers. The cost to employers is put at £6.4 billion, while the cost to the NHS is around £1.7 billion.

Alex Emery