About half of workers in Shropshire and the West Midlands say they drink alcohol to relieve stress after work, with about a fifth saying they do so at least once a week.

A new survey for the Government’s Know Your Limits campaign also shows 21 per cent of the region’s workers have felt pressurised to drink to fit in with colleagues. Alcohol can impact on performance in the workplace.

And nine per cent of people across the West Midlands say they would cut down on their drinking if they thought it was affecting their job.

At a national level, workers in the media, publishing or entertainment industries were found to be the biggest drinkers and consume an average of 44 units a week – equivalent to more than four bottles of wine or more than 19 pints of beer.

IT workers are the next biggest alcohol consumers, drinking an average of 34 units a week, followed by service sector workers at 33 units and people in finance, insurance and real estate at 29 units.

The NHS recommended limits for men is to not regularly drink more than three to four units a day, while for women the limit is no more than two or three.

Ben Willmott, of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said: “This survey illustrates how work colleagues can influence how much we drink, even when we want to cut back.”

He added: “After-work drinks are often part of the fabric of many of our working lives, and it’s often tempting to just go along with the crowd, even when you know your body needs a rest.

“The key is to try to keep an eye on just how much you’re drinking, and if you realise you are regularly drinking above the recommended daily limits, think about what that might mean for both your health and your professional reputation.”

He added: “Employers should have clear policies on managing alcohol misuse which make clear to employees that drinking to a level which negatively affects their performance, attendance or behaviour at work is unacceptable.”

By Health Correspondent Dave Morris