There were over 250 more alcohol-related incidents in Wisbech in the first six month of the year than the rest of Fenland combined, statistics have revealed.

In a report submitted by licensing officer PC Phil Richardson to Fenland District Council’s licensing committee, statistics showed that there were 556 incidents in Wisbech from January 2016 to July – 253 more than in the other Fenland towns combined.

PC Richardson’s report showed that there were 176 incidents in March, 90 in Whittlesey and 37 – with all four towns showing an increase in incidents from the same period in 2015.

There was a rise of 40.6 per cent in Whittlesey, 25.8 per cent in Wisbech, 15.8 per cent in March and 8.8 per cent in Chatteris.

The worrying figures come on the eve of Alcohol Awareness Week, which begins on Monday (14), and Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Jason Ablewhite, has taken the opportunity to remind local people of the risks of drinking.

He said: “This campaign is a good opportunity for us all to make sure we understand the current guidance around recommended limits of alcohol; it also highlights the dangers excessive drinking can have on our health.

“Alcohol remains one of the three biggest lifestyle risk factors for disease and death in the UK, after smoking and obesity.

“Excessive drinking has implications for all of us – individuals and the public services that have to pick up the pieces when things go wrong. I remain committed to working with public sector organisations to tackle alcohol misuse in Cambridgeshire.”

Guidance issued in January 2016 states that the limits for both men and women are the same – which is not to drink more than 14 units a week, and to spread these units evenly over three or more days.

This year, the campaign will focus on a number of health related issues such as alcohol and cancer, alcohol and depression, and alcohol and brain damage.

For more information, visit http://www.nhs.uk/news/2016/01January/Pages/New-alcohol-advice-issued.aspx or https://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/.