Holiday drinkers down eight a day

Drinkers in England consumed an average eight alcoholic drinks every day on their summer holiday this year, a Government-backed survey found.

The poll of more than 3,500 people, for the Know Your Limits Campaign, found that people drank 80 drinks over one holiday - with the average holiday lasting 10 days.

This could be the equivalent of 80 pints of beer (or 227 units of alcohol) or 80 large glasses of white wine (240 units).

The NHS recommends women should not regularly drink more than two or three units a day while men should not regularly drink more than three or four units a day.

Chris Sorek, chief executive of Drinkaware, said: "Holidays are often a time to have fun in the sun but forgetting about alcohol guidelines can play havoc with our health and wellbeing.

"Aside from feeling hungover, the short-term consequences of over-indulging include dehydration, low mood and weight gain, as well as ending up in potentially risky situations.

"Whether on holiday or back at home, habitually drinking more than is recommended can also lead to major health conditions like liver disease and cancer."

Public health minister, Gillian Merron, said: "It's all too easy to slip into the habit of drinking too much on holiday.

"And it's always hard to get back into a normal routine. But we should try to use September as the new January and make a pledge to be a little more healthy."