A NEW report paints a disturbing picture of binge-drinking problems in Wirral.

Official data ranks the borough as among the very worst in England for alcohol-related hospital admissions -  only Salford, Blackpool and Manchester have even more worrying figures.

The review shows huge variations between the most deprived and wealthiest areas -  admissions for booze-related illnesses are 55% higher in the most deprived.

The "top five" regions with the biggest problems are all in the Northwest.

Council leader Phil Davies said the report by Public Health England should set alarm bells ringing.

Councillor Davies, campaigning to see an end to shops being allowed to sell cut-price booze, said: “The number of alcohol-related hospital admissions is a big issue in Wirral.

“We need to educate people about the importance of not misusing alcohol or buying cheap alcohol.

“A lot of the problems are caused by people getting hold of cheap alcohol.

“It’s not just a council issue and we are working with partner agencies including police and health service on ways to resolve the problem.

“It’s something that we urgently need to address, but there is no quick fix.

“It’s a serious problem that will take time to resolve.”

He recently told the Globe he believes discounted alcohol is at least partly to blame for a surge in disorder in Birkenhead, and is looking to introduce a bylaw banning bargain booze from the shelves.

"There is no doubt whatsoever that if we can reduce the amount of alcohol young people are drinking we will go a long way towards solving the problem," he said.

Fiona Johnstone, Wirral's Director of Public Health, has studied the new report and said: "There are some concerning and also some more pleasing findings.

"Rates of adult obesity, homelessness and violent crime in Wirral are significantly better than the average for England.

"The performance of our schools is also praised, with strong GCSE pass rates for English and maths grade A* to C."

But she conceded: "Our figures for alcohol-specific hospital admissions are a concern.

"People drinking to excess are causing harm to themselves, their families and communities and we are taking sustained action to tackle this issue.

"We want local people to have a healthy relationship with alcohol and to take action to think about their alcohol consumption – people should think about drinking less often and be aware of the strength of the alcohol they are drinking."

Ms Johnstone said the local authority is taking steps to limit the availability of booze.

"We are working with local alcohol retailers supporting those who are willing to stop selling cheap, high-strength lager and cider and reviewing license applications with a particular focus on those that request to sell alcohol from very early in the morning," she said.

Dr Niall Campbell, consultant psychiatrist at the Priory Hospital in Roehampton, which specialises in alcohol addiction, told the Press Association the figures are "deeply worrying." 

He described the UK as having a "chronic drink problem."

"It's one of the biggest health problems facing our country and it is also fuelling the biggest, which is obesity," he said.

WAR AGAINST YOBS: Minimum price for alcohol could be introduced in Merseyside bylaw.