COUNCILLORS have called time on revellers leaving pubs and clubs carrying their drinks.

New licensing conditions are to be introduced following concern by hospital chiefs that at least 10 people a week are injured by broken glass, either accidentally or in fights, after a night on the town.

Police chiefs and taxi firms too have showed increasing concern at the tendency for clubbers to go pub crawling with bottles and glasses in their hands.

And they say the trend has been made worse with the growing popularity of designer drinks being consumed straight from the bottle.

Wigan Council now hopes that fresh action will clear town centre streets of the dangers of smashed glasses and broken bottles.

The new Regulation Committee, which has taken over the functions of the former licensing sub-committee, is to make the receipt of public entertainment licences conditional on licensees ensuring that customers finish their drinks before they leave the premises.

Cllr David Molyneux, committee chairman, said: "I am sure that the police, hospital authorities and taxi drivers will all welcome this decision.

"I am not saying this will cure the problem overnight, but anything we can do to make the streets of our towns safer for the vast majority of law abiding clubbers - not to mention our own street cleaners - has to be a good thing."

The new condition comes into effect from August 1.