A HOMELESS man who fell in a campfire while drinking cheap white cider had to have both legs amputated.

The 34-year-old has continued drinking despite his horrific injuries, police said.

The incident was recounted by PC Claire McNaney, from Durham Police’s Alcohol Harm Reduction Unit, who is backing a campaign by Balance, the North East Alcohol Office, to increase duty on high-strength cider.

It says a three-litre bottle of super strength cider costing just £4 can contain as much alcohol as the equivalent of 22 shots of vodka.

PC McNaney said: “A young homeless man was drinking strong white cider with his friends in a wood.

“The group lit a fire to stay warm and at some point, because he was so inebriated from the cider, he fell into the fire.

“He suffered third-degree burns on 70 per cent of his body and was taken into hospital and put into an induced coma while he fought for his life.

“The burns on his body were so bad that he had to have both of his legs amputated.

“Despite his life-changing injuries, he is still alcohol dependent, sleeping rough and begging for money to buy super-strength white cider.”

PC McNaney also reported finding a 13-year-old girl passed out on a grass verge next to a busy road with her clothing around her ankles after she needed to urinate.

“The problems relating to high-strength ciders are nothing new,” she said.

“Raising the price of the product through an increase in duty would definitely have an impact.”

The Balance campaign has also received support from Joanne Good, from Dudley, North Tyneside, whose 16-year-old daughter Megan died after drinking super-strength cider at a New Year’s Eve party.