Revellers in Cornwall are being warned to act responsibly near water during their night out.

As part of the national Don’t Drink and Drown campaign, run by the UK’s drowning prevention charity the RLSS UK, Falmouth and Porthleven townsfolk are being urged not to walk home near bodies of water after they have been drinking.

Cornwall was considered a high-risk county by RLSS UK after stats revealed 82 people accidentally drowned in the last five years and 11 of these (13 per cent) were found to have had alcohol in their system, making Cornwall the 13th highest county for alcohol related drownings in the UK.

Over the last five years there have been 1,581 accidental deaths in the UK and almost 30 per cent of the victims had alcohol in their bloodstream.

As part of the campaign, Coast Safe will be leading on the campaign activity in Porthleven, carrying out throwline training for Porthleven bars on 4 December.

In Falmouth, volunteers will be talking to students as they get on the bus to go into town on their night out on 6 December, warning them about the dangers of going near water whilst intoxicated.

Bars around Falmouth Harbour will feature posters and resources displaying campaign messages, to remind revellers to stay safe.

Hannah Wiggins-Bettles, RLSS UK Community Drowning Prevention Coordinator for the Cornwall area, said: “People tragically die each year because they’ve entered the water with alcohol in their bloodstream, either deliberately or completely by accident. Drinking near or in water can be a dangerous and deadly cocktail.

"Alcohol can seriously impede your ability to survive in water.

“When walking home from a night out, avoid routes that are alongside water, particularly in the darkness, and always stay with and look out for your friends.”

“We want everyone to have a great time this Christmas and our Don’t Drink and Drown campaign gives essential advice to party-goers to make sure they know how to stay safe when they’re out celebrating.”

Tips to stay safe this Christmas:

• Don’t walk home near water, you might fall in

• Look out for your friends, make sure they get home safely

• Don’t enter the water if you have been drinking

• Alcohol seriously affects your ability to get yourself out of trouble

Don’t Drink and Drown campaign, which this year starts today, was launched in 2014 following a string of tragic drownings of young people. Research indicated that around a quarter of all adult drowning victims have alcohol in their bloodstream and RLSS UK were keen to prevent more tragedies by providing a strategic approach in hot spot areas.

The campaign has two targeted time frames where RLSS UK and supporters push messaging through events and social media. These are September (at the start of the new university term) and December (during the festive period).

For more information on RLSS UK’s Don’t Drink and Drown campaign:

Visit our website at www.rlss.org.uk

Follow us on Twitter - @RLSSUK

Visit our Facebook page - www.facebook.com/RLSSUK

Join our LinkedIn page - @rlssuk