Britain has recorded Europe’s biggest fall in teenage drinking, with regular alcohol use down 80 per cent since 2002, according to research by the World Health Organisation.

More time on social media, greater health consciousness, better parenting and a backlash against the drunkenness of previous generations have been suggested as possible reasons.

Teenagers across Europe are shunning alcohol and Britain’s teenagers have gone from being some of the most likely to drink every week to some of the least likely.

Of the 36 countries studied, England had the biggest fall in boys and girls drinking, with Wales and Scotland close behind. In 2002 England was second overall behind Malta for regular teenage drinking and English girls topped the table, with 43.1 per cent having alcohol