Police and health watchdogs today criticised a pub chain for offering a January sale on alcohol in three of the district's ale houses.

Alcohol awareness campaigners today branded the JD Wetherspoons pub offer "dangerous" and said people could binge drink cheaply as a consequence.

And Superintendent Geoff Dodd, of Bradford South Police, said the offer could lead to an escalation of violence and disorder on the streets at pub closing time.

The Sir Titus Salt in Morley Street, Bradford, The Myrtle Grove in Main Street, Bingley, and The Obediah Brooke in Bradford Road, Cleckheaton, have each slashed the price of drinks.

Throughout the sale, pints of Spitfire bitter, bottles of Budweiser, glasses of red or white wine and glasses of Famous Grouse Whisky will cost just 99p each.

Jane Britton, a development officer for the Bradford-based Piccadilly Project, which offers support and advice to anyone with drinking problems, said the sale was unsafe.

"It clearly encourages people to drink excessively, as has been well documented in the media," she said. "It could lead to binge drinking and Friday and Saturday night drinkers could get very drunk for as cheap as £5.

"By offering cheap alcohol, especially spirits, it presents a challenge to people to drink excessively.

"But on the flip side people are over 18 and it is their choice to drink alcohol."

Supt Dodd, of Bradford South Police, said: "We want everyone to act, and drink, responsibly. If licensees are making such offers we would hope they might have measures in place to ensure people behave sensibly. They have a duty to maintain orderly premises and we will enforce this with them and deal with any licensees that fail to maintain proper order.

"The real problem though tends not to be in the pubs and clubs but when people get on to the street. But the licensed trade cannot shut their doors at closing time, count their money and ignore the consequences.

"The police end up dealing with the irresponsibility of the minority to the detriment of the majority of the public.

"Cheap booze exacerbates this problem and I wish that pubs and clubs wouldn't do this sort of thing.

"There are already too many 'revellers' evicted by door staff from pubs and clubs for disorderly behaviour and drunkenness." He added: "I would argue that a 'happy hour' is a reasonable business venture but a 'happy month' spells trouble."

But Wetherspoons spokesman Eddie Gershon said the offer was only running for a short time and was open to a handful of drinks.

"What we would say is that Wetherspoons pubs are well known for drinks at competitive prices anyway.

"Anyone who goes in for a pint of Foster's and saves a few pence of that is going to be happy with that but we're not saying that they're going to suddenly order three or four more pints.

"But even if they did we've got management and staff who are well trained and would know if someone was causing problems and wouldn't stand for it.

"But we're sure the vast majority of people will order their regular drinks and be happy with that."

David Hird, manager of The Myrtle Grove, said: "Department stores and shops hold their sales in January so we thought it would be a good idea to have one in the pub too."

The offer is running at the three pubs until January 18.