A SHOCK survey has revealed two thirds of nine to 13 year olds in East Lancashire experiment with booze. Here, JEMMA DOBSON speaks to one teenager about his experience of underage drinking. . .

ADAM Andrews was just 12 when he was found lying in a gutter, semi-conscious after a booze session with pals.

Today the schoolboy issued a drink warning to other children and his mother has urged education bosses to do more at school to make children aware of the dangers.

Adam, of Lancaster Drive, Clayton-le-Moors, spoke out after a new county council report revealed 63 per cent of children had experimented with alcohol - and at least 15 per cent drank once a week.

The survey has prompted calls for more restrictions on the advertising and supply of alcopops, identified by many youngsters as the drinks which attracted them to alcohol.

Adam, now 14, revealed how he and a group of friends had taken alcohol from one of their parents' houses and drunk it on a park near his home.

He was found by an ambulance crew in a gutter after his friends dialled 999. He was semi-conscious and delirious after drinking a cocktail of lager, spirits and alcopops - which contain the same alcohol levels as strong lager.

He said: "My mates were doing it so it makes you feel like you want to join in. To do that sort of thing at 12 is quite normal now.

"I can see now how we just didn't know what we are doing and didn't know how much alcohol is in things like alcopops."

Adam was taken to Blackburn Infirmary in January 2002 and monitored until he gained full consciousness.

His mum, Michelle, 36 said the excess alcohol in his blood was considerably over the advised weekly limit of 21 units for adult men. He was also suffering mild hypothermia.

Adam said he still knows people his age that drink alcohol. He added: "You just see people older than you doing it and you are curious."

His mum added: "I was shocked because he was so young. I couldn't believe he would do something like that. We were very upset.

"He was wrapped all in foil for the hypothermia and didn't know whether he was coming or going. It was scary especially for our younger ones."

Mrs Andrews said her son's experience had highlighted a gap in education. She added: "I think schools should to teach children more about the dangers of alcopops because what happened proved they just don't realise how much they are drinking and what it can do to them."

Mrs Andrews said her daughter Natasha, 12, and Jordan, six, were scared and it had also taught them a valuable lesson.

She added: "It is scary children are drinking so young now. Sometimes it takes something like this to highlight why it is so dangerous. My other two will never drink until they are old enough to be responsible.

"Children can't wait to grow up, but I advise parents to keep a close eye on their children around the age of 12."

His dad, Shaun, 37 added: "Adam is a good lad and we know he wouldn't do it again, but unfortunately there are ones that do."

Now Adam vows: "I wouldn't drink now until I am old enough unless I am with my parents. It's just not worth it."