For generations, southerners have had to endure ‘shandydrinking’ jibes from our friends in the north, but figures released today show men in the South East are 10 per cent less likely to be heavy drinkers than northerners.

Around one in five men and one in ten women are heavy boozers in the UK, with huge increases in consumption in the north east, Yorkshire and midlands. But in the South East just 17 per cent of men drink more than four pints in a single session.

Sales of beer have slipped by six per cent since 1990, but wine sales have risen 72 per cent over the same period, with spirits up 23 per cent.

However, although heavy drinkers in the south are down, the number of boozy women is up from eight to nine per cent – in line with the English average.

The emergence of the hard-drinking young woman has occurred nationwide, creating a slight rise in the overall alcohol consumption since 1990. The typical man drinks just under nine pints a week, with the average woman on five glasses of wine.

The results also tally with Newbury’s emergence as one of the safest towns to drink in.