TRYING to encourage people going out for a night on the town to watch their drinking is always a tough battle, but that is not stopping public health bosses in West Sussex from giving it a try.

Rather than finger-wagging about the dangers of drinking too much, they have opted for something much different and a little more eye-catching.

The aim of Water Angels in pubs, bars and other venues across the county is to give people access to free shots of water throughout the night.

The long term aim is to reduce the number of people admitted to hospital for alcohol-related problems and to reduce antisocial behaviour caused by drink.

Anything that attempts to get people thinking a little differently about how much they are drinking should be welcomed.