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Underage youngsters are still binge drinking their way into accident and emergency as figures revealed the numbers being treated for alcohol-related injuries remained as high as ever.

Paramedics and hospital staff reported the numbers of under 18s they treated were consistent with last year and hundreds were admitted for accidents relating to alcohol.

The news comes despite a police crackdown at the end of last year when officers confiscated a number of bottles and cans from teenagers in a series of operations across the city.

Adrienne Watts, spokesperson for the East of England Ambulance Service said: “It is disappointing that we are not seeing a reduction in the number of cases of under 18's we treat with alcohol related problems.

“In many of these cases the children did not go to hospital but were left in the care of their parents.

“There is plenty of advice and information available for parents and young people about alcohol and substance misuse and we would encourage parents to discuss these issues with their children and be aware of the associated safety issues.

“It is fair to say that we would rather not be attending cases like this when there are people in more urgent need of our services.”

The extent of the county's underage alcohol problem was revealed by the East of England Ambulance Trust who responded to 185 calls involving under 18s in just one year. This was almost identical to the previous year's figures of 197.

In the period between April 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008, 88 of these were in the greater Norwich area.

It is thought that many other call outs to children could be drink related such as trips and falls.

Alcohol abuse and binge drinking is also resulting in more and more youngsters being treated at accident and emergency (A& E) departments.

In the same time period, April 1 2007 to March 31 2008, 396 under 18s were treated for accidents where alcohol was a factor, and 76 of these were because the patient was ill as a direct cause of too much alcohol.

A spokesman at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital said the figures tended to be consistent year after year.

He said: “Many young people experiment with alcohol and the results can sometimes be serious.

“Drinking alcohol can leave teenagers in a vulnerable condition and increases the likelihood of an individual being involved in an accident.”

In October last year the Evening News reported how police warned Norfolk teenagers were playing Russian roulette with their health and safety by binge drinking alcohol after officers seized alcohol from gangs in parts of Norwich, Hethersett, and Wymondham.

A Norfolk Constabulary spokesman said: “We will continue to take firm action when problems occur and other work continues to promote safe drinking and responsible, considerate behaviour in and around the pubs and clubs in the city, suburbs and market towns.

“We would remind traders to challenge any teenagers by requesting identification if they believe them to be under-age and are asking to sell them alcohol.”

Evening News 24