More than 10,000 people in Wirral needed hospital treatment for alcohol related problems last year.

However figures released this week show the level of hospital admissions in the borough caused by booze has stabilised.

Admission rates in England due to conditions caused by alcohol have increased every year since 2008.

But a new report shows that for the first time since that date, there has been no rise in the borough's statistics.

Health chiefs welcomed the latest NHS Digital report but stressed more still needs to be done.

The areas in the North West region with the most admissions were:

Lancashire 29,269;

Liverpool 12,269;

Cumbria 11,475;

Manchester 11,072;

Wirral 10,217.

The figures for all those areas with the exception of Wirral have risen year-on-year.

Julie Webster, the council's acting director for health and wellbeing, said: “Wirral operates a robust and service user-centred approach to alcohol and substance support.

"Our commissioned services which offer a variety of wraparound provision for Wirral residents have no doubt contributed to the stabilisation of Wirral’s alcohol-related hospital admissions and the 6.8% reduction in Wirral’s alcohol related mortality.

“While there is still much work to be done to assist those with alcohol and substance issues across the borough and indeed the North West, we are proud of the work currently taking place to maintain and hopefully continue to lower alcohol related hospital admissions in the years to come.

"Supporting those with alcohol and substance misuse issues is one of our key public health priorities in Wirral.”

A total of 1.17m hospital admissions in England last year involved an alcohol-related condition which was either the main reason for admission or one of the secondary diagnoses.

This represents 7.2% of the overall number of hospital admissions and was 3% higher than 2016/17, NHS Digital said.

Almost 338,000 admissions had an alcohol-related condition as the primary reason.

The number is similar to 2016/17, but 15% higher than a decade ago.

“Alcohol in England is without a doubt at crisis point and worse still, we start another year with no dedicated strategy from Government for tackling alcoholism in this country,” Eytan Alexander, chief executive of addiction treatment specialists UKAT said.

“The numbers speak for themselves and it’s time to admit that change is needed in order to help the NHS and to help those most vulnerable in society.”

A spokeswoman for NHS England said: “Alcohol addiction remains one of the biggest causes of ill health and early death, yet the right support can save lives.

“The NHS Long Term Plan introduced new measures including expert teams to work in hospitals across the country providing timely care for alcohol dependent patients and their families.”