Binge-drinking injuries on the rise among students

Hundreds of binge-drinking students are suffering alcohol-related injuries each year, new figures show.

There were at least 994 incidents on 54 university campuses and at halls of residences between 2010 and 2015, according to data obtained under a freedom of information request.

Last year the number was 233, far higher than the 68 in 2010, with the recent peak being 292 in 2014.

The data, which is believed to include a small number of fatalities, is not complete as some universities only started monitoring these incidents recently. Dozens more do not have accurate records of all accidents on their sites.

This means the overall figure is likely to be significantly higher, especially as many incidents may not be reported.

Baroness Lorely Burt, universities spokeswoman for the Liberal Democrats, said: “It will come as a shock to no one that students might sometimes end up a little worse for wear — and no one is going to stop them living a little.

“But what’s worrying is that cases of students getting into real harm appear to be on the increase.”

She called for new rules so universities have to properly record alcohol-related injuries and for the Government to include prevention of these student cases in an updated alcohol strategy.

The university with the highest number of drink-related injuries was Leeds, with 73 last year and 123 in 2014. Among the London universities that responded, Kingston reported the most cases, 10, in 2015.

Leeds University stressed it was keeping “comprehensive records” of all alcohol-related illnesses and injuries.