Figures show almost half of the people who drowned in Lancashire in the last five years had alcohol in their system.

Now a new campaign's trying to cut the number of these deaths.

We're being urged to avoid taking a shortcut by a canal or river after a night out.

Lancashire is now considered a high-risk county by Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK) after stats revealed 31 people accidentally drowned in the last five years.

15 of these (48%) were found to have had alcohol in their system, making Lancashire the 3rd highest county for alcohol related drownings in the UK.

Laurence Hickin, RLSS UK Community Drowning Prevention Coordinator for the Lancashire area, said:

"People tragically die each year because they've entered the water with alcohol in their bloodstream, either deliberately or completely by accident. Drinking near or in water can be a dangerous and deadly cocktail. Alcohol can seriously impede your ability to survive in water.

"When walking home from a night out, avoid routes that are alongside water, particularly in the darkness, and always stay with and look out for your friends.

"We want everyone to have a great time this Christmas and our Don't Drink and Drown campaign gives essential advice to party-goers to make sure they know how to stay safe when they're out celebrating."

Their advice to stay safe this Christmas is:

• Don't walk home near water, you might fall in
• Look out for your friends, make sure they get home safely
• Don't enter the water if you have been drinking
• Alcohol seriously affects your ability to get yourself out of trouble

Don't Drink and Drown was launched in 2014 following a string of tragic drownings of young people.

Research indicated that around a quarter of all adult drowning victims have alcohol in their bloodstream and RLSS UK were keen to prevent more tragedies by providing a strategic approach in hot spot areas.

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