On this day in Yorkshire: Vicious circle of teenage drunkenness

The report revealed that between 1955 and 1956 offences by under-18s increased by 40 per cent, and that the increase was accounted for by five districts: Leeds-Bradford, London, Merseyside, Tyneside and South Wales.

The total of people under 21 convicted of drunkenness in 1956 was 5,385 compared with 4,417 in 1955, 3,502 in 1954 and 3,096 in 1953 - a 75 per cent increase in three years.

The report concluded: “It is becoming obvious that we have a vicious circle of regional emulation among young school-leavers. These vicious tendencies will reinforce each other.

“We are, in fact, in danger of allowing a pattern of behaviour to become set among youth, which later must poison young parenthood, unless drastic action is taken to reduce the temptation to youth represented by the present day access to alcoholic beverages.”