Hospital doctors in Pembrokeshire dealt with nearly 400 drug or drink related admissions last year, new figures show.

Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show there were 268 drug-related admissions to Pembrokeshire hospitals in 2007-2008, alongside 118 alcohol-related admissions.

“These figures are quite shocking and show the true cost to society of excessive drinking and drug-taking,” said Conservative Parliamentary candidate Simon Hart, who requested the details.

He is now encouraging Pembrokeshire County Council to follow Ceredigion’s lead in introducing alcohol-free zones in some towns.

The scheme has been trialled in Aberystwyth and hailed a success by Dyfed-Powys Police.

It has also been revealed that the 24-hour drinking laws have stretched policing in smaller towns more than in bigger cities.

Simon Reed, vice chairman of the Police Federation, told MPs last week: “Many market towns are like the wild west on occasion because they are stripped of resources.”

Mr Hart added: “Excessive drinking in public can lead to intimidating and anti-social behaviour and I think smaller towns can feel lawless when a group of drunks is wandering about. Rural police teams are not as used to dealing with drunkenness in the same way as police in Swansea for example.”