THE NORTH’S likely lads and stags heading for Spain next week were warned last night: "Don´t dice with death on your balcony."

The warning came as thousands of youngsters from the region prepared to jet out from local airports to the popular holiday hot spots like Magaluf in Majorca and San Antonio in Ibiza.

The top level plea comes from the British Foreign Office in the hope it can stamp out the craze among some young tourists - many of them British with some high on drugs or alcohol - to jump from hotel balconies into the swimming pool, or to jump from one balcony to another.

Magaluf in Mallorca is one resort where the craze of balconing is popular, and already this summer in Spain two Britons have been seriously injured after falling from balconies.

Only last week a young man fell from his 10th floor balcony in Magaluf and was found dead in the street.

He is believed to have been on holiday with his family. The dead man was wearing flip flops and swimming trunks.

And last year four people died and 18 others were injured - some seriously - in balconing incidents while on holiday.

Andrew Gwatkin, British Consul General who oversees the Balearic Islands said: “I urge young people to take care on holiday and avoid jumping from balcony to balcony or climbing back into their room after a night out.

“Most falls are accidents that often follow the consumption of alcohol, and which can and do cause serious injury or even death. Drinking may well also invalidate your travel insurance, potentially costing you thousands if medical repatriation is needed.

“Some falls are the result of balconing."