Alcohol-related hospital admissions of school-age girls in East Anglia have risen by more than 15pc in the last five years.

Alcohol-related hospital admissions of school-age girls in East Anglia have risen by more than 15pc in the last five years.

Almost 500 youngsters under 18 were admitted to A&E suffering with the effects of alcohol in the region last year - 275 of whom were young girls.

The number of girls taken to hospital has risen 15.1pc since 2001/02, compared to 1.4pc for boys.

The figures, disclosed by ministers following a parliamentary question, also show almost 3,000 youngsters under 18 in East Anglia have been admitted to hospital with problems caused by drink since 2001/02.

Chip Somers, project manager for drug and alcohol charity Focus12, based in Bury St Edmunds, said: "Young people, females in particular, are drinking much more than they used to some years ago. For females to be drunk was previously a matter of shame.

"What we have got is not just a drinking culture but a culture where it's perfectly acceptable to be completely drunk," he said.

"We have alcohol aimed at much younger people and the pub culture has changed into a club culture which is attractive to young people. There is also less parental control," said Mr Somers.