This is Tamworth --A STAFFORDSHIRE police support officer has started a campaign on Twitter to raise awareness about the importance of drinking sensibly among the young people of Tamworth this Christmas.
PCSO John Horton, a Stonydelph and Glascote Heath area officer, was called to the Castle Grounds on Saturday, December 14, to assist Street Wardens with a 15-year-old girl who was heavily intoxicated.
PCSO Horton and his colleague PCSO Sarah Cobley were told by the girl, who is being dealt with further by the Tamworth Turnaround Team, that she had consumed a "baz", an abbreviation for barrel – the term given to a three-litre bottle of white cider.
PCSO Horton told the Herald that following the incident he was inspired to act.
Using Twitter and the hashtag #saynotobaz PCSO Horton is on a mission to encourage people to drink sensibly – particularly at this time of year..
"'Smashing a baz' has become something of a social statement and many young people do it out of peer pressure, some do it as a way to get drunk quickly and even mix it with blackcurrant squash because they admit it tastes vile," said PCSO Horton.
"The message I'm trying to get across is that it's not big, clever or cool and is actually quite dangerous.
"It's Christmas so we're more than aware that people both young and old will want a drink or two."
PCSO Horton explained that with the force targeting drink drivers and naming and shaming those charged with the offence over the festive period he has taken it upon himself to increase awareness of this issue on a local level.
He added that by using Twitter, a site popular with young people, he has high hopes for the success of the campaign.
PCSO Horton will be tweeting using the hashtag mentioned over the Christmas period to keep awareness levels high. Reported by This is 22 hours ago.