Teenagers warned about dangers of Christmas drinking

More than 230,000 16 and 17-year-olds get drunk at least three times a week, according to new research.

The safe drinking message is being aimed at teenagers at the start of the Christmas party season.

Charity Drinkaware say it's not just the amount that teenagers consume that's worrying them but also what they get up to when they're drunk.

In their survey half of 16 and 17-year-olds say they have mates who've had sex without a condom because they were drunk.

Official figures from the Office of National Statistics show that in December and January, the number of under-18s getting pregnant goes up by approximately 8% to about 21,000.

BBC Switch Revealed: Do your parents drink too much?

In March this year a Europe-wide survey showed that more young people in the UK have been drunk in the past 12 months than anywhere else in Europe, apart from the Isle of Man.

Sisters Eddie, 15, and Neala, 16 from Shoreham-on-Sea, are allowed to drink at home and when they're out.

Their mum introduced them to wine when they were about 13 to encourage responsible drinking, but Eddie says that hasn't stopped her binge drinking.

She said: "When you're with all your friends and everyone's having a good time and someone gets out some alcohol you just go along with it and drink it.

"I think I would have drunk more [if mum hadn't let me drink] because I'm not the best child and I would rebel more."

Revealed managed to buy two litres of cider and three bottles of alcopops for less than £6.

The Scottish Government wants to scrap cheap alcohol like that, but on Wednesday the Scottish Labour party said they'd block the new law because it unfairly targeted responsible drinkers.

Matthew, 16, from Edinburgh thinks price is irrelevant.

He said: "The ones who are convinced they're going to get drunk, it's just going to end up making them poor because they'll spend more if they really want to drink the amount they drink at the moment."

Rowan, 16, also from Edinburgh, agrees: "If people want alcohol that badly they'll get it. They'll just pocket it."

Alcohol expert Professor Martin Plant from the University of the West of England says regardless of what teenagers say, the evidence supporting a minimum price is overwhelming.

He said: "The science is absolutely clear. Putting in a minimum price will particularly hit the highest drinkers, young and old.

"This is the first real development that offers the promise of cutting the size of the alcohol problem, but the politicians have missed the opportunity.

"As a result hundreds of people in Scotland will die early every year. It is completely irresponsible."

Revealed… have you got a drinking problem? is on BBC Two on Saturday 28 November at 12.55pm.