Nearly 300 children aged 11 or under were admitted to A&E units across the UK last year after drinking too much, a BBC Radio 5 live investigation shows.

Revealing UK-wide data for the first time, it said a total of 6,500 under-18s were admitted in 2012-13.

Charities and public health bodies say fewer children are drinking overall, but those who do may be drinking more.

The five years of data comes from Freedom of Information requests to 125 of the 189 UK NHS organisations.

Prof Ian Gilmore, chairman of the UK Alcohol Health Alliance, told the BBC: "I think in under-11s, it's mainly experimenting, but I think we see children in the 11 to 16-year-old range who are beginning to drink regularly."

He added: "There are some encouraging signs in that the numbers of under-18s drinking is probably falling, but those that are drinking are probably drinking earlier and drinking more heavily, so we certainly can't be complacent."

Over the last five years A&E departments across the UK have dealt with nearly 48,000 incidents where under-18s have been admitted for drink or drug related illnesses.

During 2012/13 there were 293 cases of children aged 11 or under attending A&E with alcohol-related conditions - a third more than in 2011/12 when there were 216 cases.

'Hiding away'

Among teens, more girls than boys are now being admitted, a reversal of the past trend.

Ayrshire and Arran Health Board dealt with the highest number of cases last year - with 483 alcohol-related admissions.

Morten Draegebo, an A&E consultant at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, said children were exposing themselves to significant danger.

He said: "The typical patient may be found in a field. They often need to hide away from any sort of adults in the area so they're picked up by the ambulance service
He added: "There are some encouraging signs in that the numbers of under-18s drinking is probably falling, but those that are drinking are probably drinking earlier and drinking more heavily, so we certainly can't be complacent."

Over the last five years A&E departments across the UK have dealt with nearly 48,000 incidents where under-18s have been admitted for drink or drug related illnesses.

During 2012/13 there were 293 cases of children aged 11 or under attending A&E with alcohol-related conditions - a third more than in 2011/12 when there were 216 cases.

'Hiding away'

Among teens, more girls than boys are now being admitted, a reversal of the past trend.

Ayrshire and Arran Health Board dealt with the highest number of cases last year - with 483 alcohol-related admissions.

Morten Draegebo, an A&E consultant at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, said children were exposing themselves to significant danger.

He said: "The typical patient may be found in a field. They often need to hide away from any sort of adults in the area so they're picked up by the ambulance service

'Can't take it'

Elaine Hindal, chief executive of Drinkaware, said the incidence of drunkenness among under-11s was "really alarming" and parents must be vigilant.

"It's really unlikely that children are buying alcohol. When children talk to us in our research, they tell us they get alcohol from home, primarily from their parents and from friends," she said.

Source: BBC News