Sober Cambridge students babysit their drunk peers

A Cambridge college has come up with a novel way to cope with drunk students staggering home from post-exam celebrations.

St John's College, whose alumni include six prime ministers, plans to use sober students to help them.

An email sent to members of the Boat Club asked for "a couple of people on call each night, so if a drunk staggers into the Porters' Lodge, the porters can get this on-call sober person to babysit the drunk."

University insiders today said students could claim up to £100 for the babysitting service. It was claimed that the students could be paid out of the fines which the college charges drunk students who require assistance.

Last term one male undergraduate was fined £200 after he woke up outside a girls' room following a night out. News of the initiative comes days after complaints from residents over the traditional Caesarian Sunday celebrations, which involved heavy drinking and an organised fight on a public green in the city. The St John's scheme is intended to tackle Cambridge's problems during the series of balls and garden parties in May Week, which begins when exams finish.

Oscar Williams-Grut, a second year student at St John's, said: "This year's May Ball is celebrating its 500th birthday and the committee is promising the greatest party ever hosted in Cambridge. They are probably worried about things getting out of hand."

One member of all-girls drinking society The Jezebels, said: "It looks a bit like they're condoning drinking but just want to limit the consequences. That's great for us but it probably doesn't send out the message they are hoping for."

A university spokesman said: "The college authorities, with the co-operation of the student body, are putting in place measures to provide support through trained volunteers for students who become incapacitated."