A POLICE chief says he is so concerned about the impact of drinking on young people he wants the age at which alcohol can be bought at offlicences raised to 21.

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Durham Chief Constable Jon Stoddart called for the age limit to be raised from 18 at a regional conference organised by Balance, the North- East Alcohol Office.

Balance this week launched its See What Sam Sees campaign, inviting people to take a child’s eye view of the way the alcohol industry bombards young people with adverts that make drinkers appear popular, successful and attractive.

The campaign group, which is funded by North-East primary care trusts, wants curbs on alcohol advertising to protect young people.

Mr Stoddart’s presentation highlighted the impact that alcohol-related crime and misbehaviour is having on the region.

He estimated that 70 to 90 per cent of police time in County Durham at weekends is spent dealing with alcoholrelated incidents.

He said that while 20,632 alcohol- related crimes were reported in the North-East in 2010-11, researchers have suggested the true figure should be more like 214,000.

Mr Stoddart said that during the same year, officers in the region were called to 4,800 incidents related to drinking in streets. He said alcohol was 44 per cent more affordable last year than it was in 1980.

Half of all violent crime and domestic abuse is alcoholrelated, with alcohol-related violence costing the North- East healthcare and justice systems £310m a year.

More than seven in ten people in the North-East think that people being drunk and rowdy in public is a “fairly big” or big problem.

Balance is urging people to visit balancenortheast.co.uk to sign a petition calling for curbs on alcohol advertising to protect young people.

Mr Stoddart is supporting Balance’s Enough is Enough campaign, which is running all this week.

The campaign aims to change attitudes in the North- East and challenge the culture of heavy drinking.

Mr Stoddart said he wanted an increase in the cost of alcohol and a restriction in its availability.