The year-long project saw 900 young people aged between 10 and 19 surveyed by community and youth workers.

Many youngsters questioned said alcohol was a normal part of their lives, consumed on Friday and Saturday nights.

Some also commented on the lack of alternative activities available to them at weekends.

Alcohol misuse

More than 170 delegates including Middlesbrough mayor Ray Mallon and 30 young people, will attend the BINGE Thinking! event on Friday.

The aim is for people to find out for themselves the real story of young people and drink and how it impacts on nearly all aspects of life in the town.

The project was commissioned by youth organisation Connexions Tees Valley and led by Malcolm Stone, senior researcher with Barnardo's North East.

He said: "Even where in a number of instances young people do not use alcohol it is part of their lives in that it is a choice available to them and they are likely to observe their peers using alcohol.

"The main reason young people drink is for pleasure and socialisation. In many respects it mirrors an adult pattern of alcohol misuse".