ONE in four adults across the south west have been drinking more since lockdown began, research reveals.

A study from alcohol education charity, Drinkaware, found that one in five adults in the region said they were drinking on days they wouldn’t usually and one in ten admit to drinking earlier in the day.

As lockdown continues and the government’s furlough scheme extends to October, Drinkaware is warning that thousands of people could emerge with risky drinking habits.

The charity is urging Brits to use the lockdown to take control of their health and wellbeing.

Drinkaware CEO, Elaine Hindal, said: “It appears that as lockdown continues, many people are drinking more.

“And problematic drinking habits like drinking earlier in the day and on days you wouldn’t usually can lead to serious health issues for many people.

“With this new normal set to go on for a few more months, thousands of people could be in danger of establishing a variety of ingrained and hard-to-break drinking habits that could have an impact on their health, both physical and mental. Now is the ideal time to take control of how much we’re drinking for our wellbeing.

“What’s more, is that we know people tend to underestimate how much they drink. And this is even more likely during lockdown.

“The measures we get in pubs, bars and restaurants are poured with precision, whereas at home, we’re unlikely to pour spirits in measures of 25ml or ensure we stop at 125ml to measure a small glass of wine. Yet doing this is crucial to help us moderate our drinking and staying within the low risk guidelines of 14 units a week.”

Drinkaware suggested people stick to drinking no more than 14 units each week, have at least three drink-free days, use their app to track units, experiment with alcohol-free drinks and use smaller glass sizes.