Christmas has become a time of dread for casualty staff at a hospital struggling to cope with drink-related injuries.
Alcohol is being blamed for more than half of admissions to Sunderland Royal Hospital's accident and emergency unit, a shocking report has revealed.
More than a quarter of injuries treated by casualty staff working the weekend shift are drink-related, it said.
Children as young as 13 have been treated at the unit for alcohol-related problems.
Less than three weeks after licensing laws were changed to allow 24-hour drinking, the figures show that on a typical Saturday night, about 50 patients attend casualty with a drink-related condition.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article