Yorkshire women are among the heaviest drinkers in Britain, according to new research.

A survey by academics for the British Heart Foundation shows that women in the Yorkshire and Humberside region and the north-west are more likely to drink than any others in the country - whereas Yorkshire blokes have been beaten in the boozing stakes by the men of the north-east and north-west.

But the figures come as no surprise to Simon Jackson, of the Piccadilly Project, one of the biggest alcohol advice centres in Bradford. Drinking habits in the district have changed so much, he says, that the advice team has had to appoint a women's development worker to tackle the problem.

"Generally, about 40 per cent of our clients are women and that's quite a high per centage.

"It's changed for a number of reasons. Women can afford drinking now - more are working and there's executive stress. Traditionally, women were seen as drinking in the home when the men were at work.

"That's still there, but women now have the stress of juggling their different roles in the workplace and at home."

And, claims Mr Jackson, the advertising industry has lost no time in taking advantage of the social trend.

"More and more advertising is being pushed towards women," he says. "If you look at the ads, there's a move away from bitter and lager towards things like mixers."

According to BHF's research, 15 per cent of women in Yorkshire consume a "high" (more than 15 units) amount of alcohol a week, 18 per cent drink medium levels and 55 per cent drink between one and seven units, classed as low.

But the level of unsafe drinking (more than 35 units) for women nationally shot up from 2.6 million in 1984 to four million in 1996. And apart from the well-known dangers of drinking in pregnancy, this has led to an alarming increase in alcohol-related illnesses.

"Women are particularly susceptible to liver disease," says Mr Jackson.

"From 1979 to 1988, deaths from cirrhosis of the liver in women rose by 40 per cent compared to just six per cent in men.

"It also affects the digestive system by inflaming the stomach lining. And there's research going on to find out whether it's linked to breast cancer."

If anyone has any concerns about alcohol problems, they can contact the Piccadilly Project on (01274) 735775.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.