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Binge Britain

When Denise Turk and her pals heard about a website set up by college girls to show off their drunken antics they decided to go one better.

Along with her 10 binge-drinking friends, Denise posted photos on the internet proudly showing their wildest drunken nights, passed out on pool tables and throwing up in ashtrays.

But Denise and her friends aren’t teenagers enjoying carefree nights out - they’re mostly in their 30s, some married, some with children, and they’ve been partying recklessly for more than 12 years.

The habit of a lifetime

Ringleader Denise, a beauty therapist with a four-year-old son Harvey, admits: “I don’t ever see an end to our partying ways - we’ll still be propping up the bar when we are 80.”

The friends have met up virtually every Friday and Saturday night for more than a decade and before going out at night the 10 women guzzle an astonishing two litres of vodka, two litres of Sambuca and a 700ml bottle of Aftershock liquor.

Then, at the pub, Denise admits it’s usual for her to down a further ten double vodkas. The others drink similarly dangerous amounts adding up to a shocking 64 units of alcohol each from their weekend binges – over four times the safe weekly limit recommended by doctors.

“I don’t think any of us worry about long-term health,” shrugs Denise. “We’ve been drinking like this for so many years already and haven’t got any health problems. You might as well enjoy yourself while you are here. If you are going to go, you’re going to go. Simple as that.”

And Denise’s tolerance levels are so high after years of abuse that she rarely vomits and never passes out any more. “My hangovers aren’t even that bad,” she says. “As a teenager I would have lasted a whole night drinking on around £20.

"In fact, one night I remember going out and borrowing money off various people until I got £60. I then spent it all on Tia Maria in a two-hour period. These days a night out costs me a lot more and I usually spend £80,” says Denise.

Drunken Antics

One of her pals, hairdresser Tracey Kelly, 30, says: “Sometimes I stay out all night and then go straight to work – often going to bed makes me feel worse.”

The hard-drinking women set up their controversial Facebook group ‘We can rival the group 30 reasons why girls should call it a night.’ Their blog follows a group set up showing students lying unconscious, vomiting or gulping down vast quantities of alcohol.

“We came back from the pub one night and thought it would be a laugh to stick all our photos online,” says Denise. “We saw the original website and thought what we get up to is even worse so thought we would share it.

“Nobody would dare try to calm us down,” adds Denise, 30. “Our families and other friends have all long since given up trying to warn us about our behaviour. They just accept that we are the way we are.”

Indeed, their behaviour is so bad they’ve been barred not only from many bars in Aldershot but by fed-up taxi drivers. Tracey is even banned from the town’s Tesco supermarket after she pulled all the fresh bread off a trolley and shoving the trolley towards a till when she was drunk a few weeks ago. Tracey admits: “There isn’t much to do in this town so you have to make your own fun.”

Worryingly, most of the women began drinking when they were underage, though they didn’t start partying together until they were 18. They have absolutely no regard for their own safety. “A night isn’t a night without bruises or injuries to laugh about afterwards and I think I have had the worst one from the group,” says Tracey.

“One night I was jumping on some beds, trying to do some somersaults, when I fell off and landed on a pint glass and a bottle. I had to go to hospital for 27 stitches but it didn’t hurt until three days later when I finally sobered up.”

Four years ago Denise got married and Tracey was her maid of honour. But Tracey got drunk before the wedding and fell over while carrying the cake, leaving it in ruins.

“I couldn’t be mad at her,” laughs Denise. “I had made her party until 4am on the day of my wedding so she was pretty tired and had a few glasses of wine before walking me down the aisle".

Denise, who’s now divorced, says she can only go out binge drinking when her ex-husband looks after their young son. And she admits she worries her behaviour could rub off on him.

“I think my son will probably end up being a drinker and while I will warn him about the dangers and try to make sure he is careful, I can’t be two-faced. I have to accept he will probably pick up a few tricks from his mum.

“For me, drinking is like a release,” she says. “I work during the week to make sure I can provide for my son and I take good care of him. But when he goes to stay with his Dad then I act like any other single girl.”

Words: Lisa Woollard