A staggering 67 per cent of under 18s questioned in a survey were given drink either by their parents or friends of their parents, it was discovered in a survey carried out by the Shropshire Drugs and Action Awareness Team.

The fact-finding mission carried out among 225 young people in January and February this year with 23 per cent of young people saying they had taken their first drink before the age of 10 with boys experiencing alcohol earlier than girls and around 50 young people admitting having been drunk by the age of 13.

Only six never had an alcoholic drink.

"There is a clear preference for young people aged 11-16 to drink within the home with a shift towards drinking in pubs at the age of 17," the report says.

However, the survey did not bear out the conception that hordes of young people were drinking on the streets with just 15 per cent (33) admitting to the practice.

Presenting the report, Oswestry Police Inspector Jim Stafford told members of Oswestry Borough Council's Scrutiny Committee that young people drinking alcohol was a national problem which the government and everyone else is struggling to find a solution to.

Worrying

And he said the modern phenomenon of alcopops was a worry.
"These drinks tend to be very strong but taste like lemonade," he said.

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