BINGE-drinking young people are risking future brain damage on an increasing scale in Wirral.

Cases of alcohol-related dementia among young people have risen steeply with the number of referrals by local hospitals to the Alzheimer's Society increasing in line with the rise in excessive drinking habits.

The shock trend was revealed at a meeting last week-end of the Liscard-based branch of the society attended by shadow health minister Stephen O'Brien.

Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust also revealed that a special committee had been set up in Wirral to study care patterns for people with alcohol-related brain damage.

Liscard Cllr Leah Fraser said: "Both Stephen and I were shocked to hear of the increase in referrals of young people due to binge drinking. Most people enjoy a drink now and again, but too many young people are drinking to excess and, literally killing their brains in the process."

There are around 5,000 dementia cases among people over 65 in Wirral, but records show that the illness can start among people in their early 30s. Cllr Fraser said: "I often spend time dealing with the impact of alcohol abuse - whether it is youths causing annoyance or criminal damage in our parks and open spaces. This revelation really makes you realise how much damage young people are doing to themselves; it's a lose-lose situation for them.

"My hope is that this news will reinforce the approach taken by the authorities in trying to restrict the availability of alcohol to children."

Sue Newnes from the Wallasey branch of the Alzheimer's Society revealed at the week-end meeting that social services funded just £7 of the £40 cost of every place provided by the society - the rest was met by voluntary fund-raising and charges on sufferers.

The society was presently funding 13 different projects into dementia and Alzheimer's, she said, yet Wirral could lose a community mental health team as part of the latest round of NHS cuts A spokesman for Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust said alcohol could have many health effects when misused; with one of the more serious effects being on the brain.

Professor Ken Wilson, the trust's associate medical director for effective practice, said: "The onset on alcohol-related brain damage can be early and it appears to be present in younger people, with the majority of those affected being in their late 40s through to mid 60s."

He added: "The amount of alcohol-related brain damage in the community is difficult to judge and the results are conflicting. A committee has been set up in Wirral to establish pathways of care for people with alcohol-related brain damage and a national committee has also been set up to publish guidelines concerning the management of the problem."

Val McGee, divisional director of adult and older people's mental health services, said: "There has been no final decision on the closure of a community health team in Wirral. We recently held a 12-week public consultation into service redesign and the trust board will be making a decision on the redesign options based on the outcome of that consultation."