IN an unusual move, York coroner Jonathan Leach has held an inquest into two separate deaths.

Megan Roberts and Ben Clarkson were both in their early 20s when they drowned in York’s rivers, following a spate of heavy drinking. Their deaths occurred within weeks of each other, earlier this year.

In total, four people have lost their lives in the city’s waterways in 2014.

At this week’s inquest, Mr Leach said: “I am holding both on the same day to hopefully raise awareness of the dangers both the River Ouse and Foss hold to anyone,whether they fall into the river or enter voluntarily, but particularly to those who have drank large amounts of alcohol.”

The Press has launched its own campaign to raise awareness of river safety in York – Take Care – and fundraising is under way to launch a rescue boat, manned by volunteers, to “police” rivers on busy evenings such as weekends and race days.

Other initiatives are afoot too: a pilot scheme is about to begin giving doormen the right to breathalyse anyone they think might be drunk.

Such a scheme is running in Scarborough and Northallerton as well as elsewhere in the UK.

All these efforts are being taken to tackle one fundamental problem: young people are drinking too much.

Just yesterday, A&E doctor Clifford Mann warned of the dangers of “pre-loading” where young people drink alcohol heavily at home on alcohol before heading out to pubs and clubs.

Speaking on BBC News, he said: “They are seriously drunk before they get into town and it only takes one or two drinks to tip the balance and either they will become ill because of the alcohol or injure themselves.”

NHS statistics back this up, pointing to a huge increase in admissions of young drinkers in England. The longer-term damage is alarming too: cases of liver disease among young people are rising.

Some experts want to see alcohol prices rise and were disappointed when David Cameron failed to follow in Scotland’s footsteps to introduce a minimum unit price to curb sales. Pressure should be applied to make the Government think again.

We have to accept that social drinking is here to stay, and that York, with its special cocktail of students, tourists and hen and stag parties, has a reputation as a place to come and party.

The challenge is to keep revellers safe. Turning drunk people away from pubs is a good idea, but we must make sure they are not then left staggering around the city by themselves.

Police and volunteer “street angels” can all play their part, but individuals must take responsibility too. Drinkers should “buddy up” and make sure none of their friends are allowed to wander off, worse for wear.

As The Press campaign says, it’s time to Take Care.

 

• WE probably have our own view on who is the greatest living Yorkshireman.

The Prime Minister crowned William Hague, former Tory leader, ex-foreign secretary and current MP for Richmond, with this ultimate accolade for all the sons of God’s Own Country.

But it proved to be one of Cameron’s more controversial proclamations at this week’s Conservative Party Conference.

“Yorkshireman” was quickly trending on social media, with not many of the Twitterati concurring with our leader.

“If William Hague is the greatest living Yorkshireman, I can only assume that Geoffrey Boycott has died. #RIPBoycott” posted Greg Double ‏(@Dubstep1988).

Of course, there are plenty of other worthy candidates. How about the artist David Hockney, who was born in Bradford and lives in Bridlington. Leeds-born playwright Alan Bennett is a contender too. Michael Parkinson’s name might even crop up (but I suspect he’d pass the trophy to Boycott, being a cricket nut as well as a legendary TV interviewer).

Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker deserves to win a few votes too, especially for putting Sheffield on the map during the Cool Britannia cultural revolution of the 1990s.

Then there are our home-grown triathlon champs, Alistair and Jonathon Brownlee from West Yorkshire, who have cleaned up in their field.

My vote goes to none of the above. Like many of you, my “greatest Yorkshireman” is a bit closer to home.

Step forward Nick Pears, husband, friend, father, son, teacher and the greatest living Yorkshireman I know.

Now please can you fix that blocked gutter?