Alcoholics Anonymous Reviews

Calls to an alcohol helpline soared over Christmas - with twice as many people as last year asking for help with booze problems.

The Nottingham Alcohol Problems Advisory Service logged 184 calls from Christmas Eve to New Year's Day - double the previous year's figure of 91.

The peak time for callers was December 27 and New Year's Eve. Most - some 70% - were from people worried about loved ones' drinking habits. And most concerned people drinking at home.

Calls included a mum whose children became ill after being allowed to drink alcohol by parents at a friend's party.

Nick Tegerdine, executive director of Apas, said: "There's more alcohol being consumed, as it is cheaper and stronger and easier to get.

"More people drinking and more alcohol equals more problems."

He said the festive period was a particular problem because there were more opportunities to drink at what is often an emotional period.

"There are endless parties, and people can find it a stressful time," he said. "They are either around people they don't want to be, or are lonely because their loved ones are not close. Some people overindulge to fix their feelings."

Mr Tegerdine said offers in supermarkets made it easier for people to buy alcohol to drink at home.

"Over Christmas and new year, pubs have not been as busy as they hoped to be, while supermarkets sold a lot of alcohol," he said. "The safest place to drink is a properly-managed public house - I would like to see a return to that trend rather than more people drinking at home."

He said calls included the brother of a man who could not stop vomiting after drinking too much, and a woman seeking advice because her partner became abusive after four pints.

He also said increased publicity about the service meant more people were able to call for advice.

To tackle the problem, Mr Tegerdine called for more taxes on super-strength lagers and strong cider.

This Is Nottingham