PEOPLE in Warrington are being encouraged to think about how much alcohol they drink and to cut back if the amount is too high.

Last January almost 1.5 million people gave up drinking, while a quarter of the population decided to drink a little less.

Although giving up completely may prove difficult, reducing alcohol intake, even for a short amount of time, will still deliver plenty of benefits.

If saving money while avoiding horrific hangovers were not big enough incentives, it is also an easy way to help shift excess festive flab. Alcohol is extremely high in calories and drinking an average bottle of wine is equivalent to eating six jam doughnuts.

Dr Rita Robertson, director of public health, said: “January is an ideal time to consider making healthier lifestyle choices, but cutting back on alcohol is a good idea at anytime, particularly if you’ve been drinking heavily.”

It is important to know how much is safe to drink without causing long term health damage. The NHS recommends no more than two to three units per day for women and three to four for men on a regular basis.

If people stick within these daily limits they can reduce the risk of developing serious conditions such as liver disease, cancer and stroke.