NEARLY half of teenagers drink alcohol once a week - although the figure is dropping, a survey suggests.

A survey by Trading Standards in the north west found 44 per cent of teenagers drink at least once a week.

These figures represented a fall from 50 per cent for 2005.

The reason for the fall was said to be because it is becoming harder for youngsters to get hold of alcohol.

However, a third of those who do drink do so to excess, and of those half admit to becoming violent while drunk.

The proportion of schoolchildren aged between 14 and 17 who bought their own alcohol dropped from 40 per cent in 2005 to 28 per cent.