THE director of a leading charity helping Gwent people fight alcohol problems said the numbers they are treating are just the tip of a very large iceberg.

Gwent Alcohol Project sees around 1,300 people a year - but its director Peter Roberts said research into the number of people who drink without seeking help means an estimated 12,000 to 15,000 Gwent people are risking their health with alcohol.

The maximum recommended limit per week is up to 28 units for men and 21 for women.

This means men who drink more than two pints a day and women who drink more than three small glasses of wine could be endangering their health.

Mr Roberts said: "We currently see around 1,300 people a year. If you factor in the proportion of people who do not seek help or go to other organisations, it is fair to say we are looking at this level of problems in Gwent."

This estimate was backed up by Martin Blakebrough, director of Kaleidoscope.

He said: "There are around 1,000 people with drug problems in Newport and the surrounding areas, and the number with alcohol problems is around ten times that figure."

Mr Roberts says local figures match worrying national trends, with rising numbers of people both drinking to excess and suffering from alcohol-related illness.

The Gwent Alcohol Project says the number of people it helps goes up by ten per cent every year.

But more worrying is the number of young people drinking at dangerous levels and suffering from alcohol-related illnesses.

The charity now has a specific team devoted to people under 24 with alcohol problems.

Dr Greg Graham, 56, a GP in Pontypool agrees the situation in Gwent is getting worse.

He said: "We have a dreadful culture of mostly young people drinking - mostly shots - to the point of unconsciousness."

Dr Graham said his Torfaen practice was already seeing an increase in the effects of binge drinking.

He said: "Many patients are chronically alcoholic, their liver function is suffering, they may suffer from ulcers or be at risk of intestinal haemorrhage."

"More worryingly the people we're seeing with these problems are getting younger and younger."

His practice is now encouraging more people to start detox regimes but he admits: "That is just dealing with the tip of the iceberg. We need education and funding."

He supports recent plans for a special liaison nurse to be placed in Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital to work exclusively with alcohol problems.

A proposal for this idea is currently waiting for funding approval from the Local Healthcare Board.

Charity groups like the Gwent Alcohol Project and Alcohol Concern believe this kind of investment is needed to tackle the rising problems of drinking in the UK.

Consultation is currently going on to assess the need for a Gwent drug and alcohol detox centre, which the Assembly has already provided £1.2million towards funding.

Mr Blakebrough said tackling the drinking culture and rising numbers with alcohol problems will help reduce the number of drug addicts as well.

"If we can get young people with alcohol problems help, it is more likely they won't progress to drug abuse," he said.

Dr Graham also believes alcoholism is behind a wide range of social problems, such as domestic violence. He said he is glad to see it move up the political agenda.

He said: "It is a growing problem and it does need to be tackled."