HEALTH chiefs have joined forces to promote the message of safe festive partying.

The temptation to go that extra mile is never greater as people, particularly young, stay out longer and party harder than any other time of year.

But the consequences can be catastrophic -- potentially leading to injury, serious illness, attack, sexually transmitted infection or even an unplanned pregnancy.

Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust's director of commissioning, Janet Ledward, said: "We're working together with other agencies to provide guidance on safer partying.

"We think it important to offer this advice because the use of alcohol, drugs and issues concerning personal safety all cut across the work we do with young people and touch every aspect of their lives.

"Drugs and alcohol affect the way we behave and can make us less inhibited so we are more likely to take risks that we wouldn't do otherwise."

Keith Owen, manager of Blackburn based drugs charity Lifeline, which has worked with drug users since 1971, said sometimes people's priorities needed reordering.

"If you're going to take time over choosing what to wear; who you're going to meet and where you are going to go you might as well spend some time thinking about how to keep safe while you are out and how you are going to get back home safely afterwards. Perhaps the last thing you want to be doing when you're planning to have a good time is to be worried about what might go wrong, but it's important."

The agencies involved in the campaign are also responsible for the strategy to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in the district.

They have raised awareness about the 'morning after' emergency contraceptive pill for those who do get carried away during the party season by putting up posters across the district in pubs, clubs and leisure centres.

Centre manager for sexual advice centre Brook in East Lancashire, Ann Crichton said: "People are more likely to get carried away during the party season and to do things they may regret later. Many women start the New Year worrying that they may be pregnant.

"January has always been the busiest month of the year at Brook with a big rise in the number of clients wanting pregnancy tests. This year we hope party-goers will heed our message and they should think ahead and party safely. If all else fails, women should remember they have up to 3 days to get emergency contraception."