YOUNG women are increasingly seeking help for excessive drinking, a York alcohol service has revealed.

Once used predominantly by men, the York Alcohol Advisory Service now receives pleas for help from a roughly even split of both sexes.

Those who seek its support are more likely to be successful, confident young professionals, struggling to hold down a career and relationship as their drinking spirals out of control.

Alison Tubbs, service manager at the Bootham-based agency, said there had been a "definite increase" in approaches from women in the last seven to eight years.

"We are also seeing younger women, who started having a few glasses of wine with colleagues after work and who have discovered they are opening the second bottle," she said.

Yesterday, the Evening Press reported that young women are increasingly putting themselves at risk by fuelling up on bargain booze in York's pubs, and trying to drink men under the table.

On Monday, the Government launched its national Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, designed to curb the problem which costs the country an estimated £20 billion a year.

Government guidelines recommend that women consume no more than 14 alcoholic units per week, or two to three per day. But increasing numbers of women are "bingeing", consuming six or more units in a single session.

This is particularly harmful for women's health, said Mrs Tubbs, because the higher fat content of their bodies meant alcohol stayed more concentrated.

This leads to problems such as liver damage, dull skin and hair, spots and broken veins, and weight gain.

"A can of strong lager contains as many calories as a Mars bar. You are counteracting the effects of that trip to the gym," she said.

You can phone the York Alcohol Advisory Service, at 63 Bootham, on 01904 652104, or visit www.yaas.org.uk

Updated: 09:33 Saturday, March 20, 2004