NEW figures have shown a staggering rise in alcohol-related admissions to local hospitals by Thurrock residents.

The UK addiction Treatment Group has released an analysis of admissions to hospitals which involve hospital problems and which reveals a 45 per cent increase in cases from the borough.

In 2012/13 there were 2,200 cases – by 2018/19 that had risen to 3,200.

Conditions for hospital admission due to alcohol include cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, alcohol poisoning, and alcoholic liver disease.

Nuno Albuquerque, Group Treatment Lead at addiction firm UKAT said: ""The problem with alcohol in this country is a ticking time bomb about to explode. NHS Hospitals in particular across the East of England are crippling under pressures directly attributable to the misuse of alcohol; a drug that is so socially accepted yet so incredibly dangerous.

"People here are seemingly struggling with their alcohol consumption; drinking so much alcohol that it is leading to hospitalisation and the diagnosis of further, debilitating conditions, yet the Government continues to have their heads buried in the sand.

"The question is, why do we still not have an alcohol-specific strategy, as promised back in 2018? It is a huge problem and one that needs immediately addressed as a matter of urgency."