Mad Friday revellers warned to eat before they drink as 999 calls expected to increase by 35%

The Friday before Christmas which is commonly referred to as Mad Friday and is one of the busiest nights of the year for pubs and emergency services alike.

Both police and ambulance services across Yorkshire have now urged people to stay safe and drink responsibly this weekend.

Yorkshire Ambulance service predict that they will see a 35% increase in calls this Friday.

And the service is advising revellers to;

- Plan your journey home before you head out; book a taxi or check the time of the last bus or train

- Eat before drinking

- Stick to safer drinking levels; consider lower strength drinks and stick to singles rather than doubles.

- Alternate alcoholic drinks with soft drinks or water.

According to Dr Steven Dykes, the Trust’s Deputy Medical Director, whilst ambulance teams are dealing with alcohol-related incidents that could have been avoided they are not available to respond to life- threatening emergencies.

He said, “We acknowledge that many of the alcohol-related calls we receive do require an emergency response and whilst these 999 calls are not inappropriate, they could be avoided. We

simply ask that you think before you drink so you don’t spoil your own night by ending it in the back of an ambulance.”

But it isn’t just party-go-ers that can end up needing medical attention. Last year three officers from Bradford Police force suffered attacks, two of which were sent to A&E just two hours into their Mad Friday shift.

This year Police over in North Yorkshire will be running a ‘Stay safe tweet-a-thon' via Facebook and Twitter, showcasing every incident that takes place on the chaotic night.

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Ciaron Irvine hopes that the social media campaign will provide the public with a ‘behind the scenes’ view of policing.

He said, “Sharing this information allows the public to understand the sheer number of incidents called in to us, the nature of the calls and how we prioritise and respond to them. We hope that by being open and transparent, it reassures the public that we are here 24/7 to keep them safe, all year round.”