There has been a rise in alcohol-related hospital admissions in both Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

The rise in Wiltshire is 30 per cent over the last six years, while there has been a 17 per cent increase in Gloucestershire.

In Wiltshire there were 9,910 admissions in 2018/2019, up from 7,760 in 2012/13. Gloucestershire hit 12,680 admissions last year, up from 10,850 over the same period.

The total number of people in the South West admitted to hospital due to an alcohol-related condition in 2018/19 was 124,970. This was up from 102,260 six years previously.

Across the country there were almost 1.3 million cases where the primary reason for hospital admission or a secondary diagnosis was linked to alcohol. This represents 7.4 per cent of all hospital admissions.

Conditions for hospital admission due to alcohol include cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, alcohol poisoning, and alcoholic liver disease.

Nuno Albuquerque, group treatment lead at addiction firm UKAT said: “The problem with alcohol in this country is a ticking time bomb about to explode. NHS Hospitals in particular across the South West are crippling under pressures directly attributable to the misuse of alcohol; a drug that is so socially accepted yet so incredibly dangerous."