SHOCK figures show men in the borough are losing more than a year off their lives due to alcohol-related illnesses.

Lewisham is the sixth worst London borough for male deaths associated with booze and in the worst 25 per cent of England's 354 local authorities.

The average number of months of life lost among men in England due to conditions such as chronic liver disease is 10. Lewisham is 25 per cent above the average.

Women in the borough are dying, on average, seven months earlier than expected because of the effects of alcohol consumption.

This is two months earlier, and 34 per cent above the England average of five months.

It means Lewisham is the second worst of London's 32 boroughs for female deaths linked with drinking.

Chairman of Lewisham Primary Care Trust's Patient and Public Involvement Forum Sean Vernals said: "I have witnessed how alcohol can destroy people's lives, from reducing life expectancy to ruining relationships.

"There needs to be more publicity about the dangers of alcohol so it hits home.

"It is very disturbing to see these recent findings."

Greenwich largely falls in line with the England average.

Men are losing 10 months of life based on a life expectancy of 77, while women are dying five months earlier based on a life expectancy of 81-years-old.

It means Greenwich is ranked the 17th worst London borough for male deaths and the 15th worst for women.

The study was compiled by the Public Health Observatory and Liverpool John Moores University in a bid to highlight regional variations in alcohol use and effect.

Research also showed Lewisham and Greenwich are in the worst 25 per cent of areas in England for recorded crimes relating to alcohol.

In Lewisham, 4,392 crimes committed in the financial year 2005/6 were alcohol related, while in Greenwich the figure was 3,915.

A total of 49 sexual offences were attributed to alcohol usage in Lewisham and 48 in Greenwich during the same period.