Inner city Bradford has the lowest levels of binge drinking in the Yorkshire and Humber region, a report published today reveals.

"Over the Limit" is a new publication from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Public Health Group aimed at reducing alcohol misuse and the personal and social harm it causes.

It was launched today at a major conference in Leeds attended by health services, police and local authorities from around the region.

For the first time it sets out information that paint a worrying picture of alcohol use and misuse across the region.

Yorkshire, along with the North West, has the highest prevalence of binge drinking in England. More than a third of adults (nearly half of men and a quarter of women) drink more than the recommended daily allowance.

Five per cent of people are dependent on alcohol and deaths from chronic liver disease have almost doubled in the region in the past ten years.

However, the good news for Bradford is that the city area has the lowest levels of binge drinking in the region - figures which are actually below the national average.

Regional director of public health, Professor Paul Johnstone, said it was not clear why this was, although he said it could be due to cultural reasons.

But he also said people in Bradford could not afford to be complacent about the dangers of drinking to excess.

"This report is pretty damning," he said. "From a Bradford perspective it is not quite as bad as the rest of the region - it is pretty much is line with the national averages - but people still need to be aware of the dangers of binge drinking.

"Enjoying a drink with friends is an important part of the social fabric of our region. However we must also recognise that many of us are now drinking far too much - and this has serious implications for our future physical and mental health and social well being."