Nearly one in five people in East Sussex are abusing alcohol, new figures reveal.

Meanwhile more than 6,500 people are dependant on booze in the east of the county.

Alcohol has the most impact in Hastings.

The town is ranked worst in the south east for alcohol-related deaths in women.

Eastbourne is ranked in the worst three local authorities in the south east for alcohol-related hospital admissions for people aged under 18.

Alcohol specific admissions for adult men and months of life lost are also high in the town.

Rother records high rates of death from chronic liver disease and booze-related hospital admissions for women aged under 18.

But the impact of alcohol in Lewes and Wealden are low, according to the report which was compiled by East Sussex County Council.

About 506,000 people live in East Sussex. Of these, 18,000 people are considered "harmful drinkers" whose heavy alcohol intake is already resulting in physical or mental harm.

Meanwhile 92,000, nearly one in five, have been identified as 'hazardous drinkers' which means their drinking is likely to lead to future psychological or physical damage.

A council spokeswoman said that in the last year drink related hospital admissions had cost the county more than £7 million.

The findings come less than two months after West Sussex County Council revealed that one in six people in their half of the county had a problem with alcohol. The council revealed that there were around 18,000 alcohol-related violent incidents each year.

The council wants to provide specialist services but has a £1.2 million shortfall which would need to be covered by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).

The report, submitted to the PCT board which covers Hastings and Rother and East Sussex Downs and Weald, said: "There is a gap of £1.2 million between the resource currently allocated to specialist alcohol services and the estimated cost of implementing the service model across East Sussex."

The council insisted that dealing with the alcohol problem was an 'invest to save' strategy and the extra investment would come back to the region when the cost of booze related incidents dropped.

The report wants the county to meet the booze challenge by increasing the specialist training available to professional help groups.

Currently half of investment in training is dedicated to illegal drugs rather than alcohol.

The council also wants to overcome the barriers people in East Sussex face when they want counselling for drink problems or want to get on a detoxification programme.

There are clinics in Seaford, Crowborough, Lewes, Uckfield, Hastings and Eastbourne.

But the report said: "Access is severely limited with waiting times a major barrier. Average waiting times tend to be around three months, but have been as long as five months during busy times."

A council spokeswoman said: "We have submitted the request for £1.2million to the PCT and we just hope they consider it first and foremost and the problems in East Sussex really hit home.

"We have excellent services for children but adults here are neglected."

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