With the busiest weekend just around the corner, West Mercia Police are on hand to give some advice for anyone who is out celebrating this weekend.

There will be extra officers on duty to help people stay safe.

This time of year sees a rise in alcohol related violent crime and here are some simple steps people can take to stay out of trouble.

• Beware of rounds - If you're drinking in rounds this normally means you're trying to keep up with the fastest drinker in the group. You can stay in control by opting to take part in smaller rounds with a couple of friends or even better, giving the rounds a miss altogether.

• Grab the grub - A meal before you go out and snacks between drinks can help to slow down the absorption of alcohol and help you stay in control.

• Keep count - consider using an app on your smartphone to help keep track of what you're drinking. A free app can be downloaded from www.drinkaware.com

• Small sizes - Consider swapping a pint for a bottle or a half or large glass of wine for a smaller glass. Buying spritzers and shandies will also help you cut down and stay in control.

• Soften up - Alternating alcoholic drinks with soft drinks slows down your drinking and means you will drink less over the course of an evening. Consider taking a bottle of water on to the dance floor with you.