British women are now among the world's biggest drinkers - matching men drink for drink, a major global study published in The Lancet reveals.

The figures, which track 195 countries across the globe, show that the UK is almost unique in having no difference in the amount of alcohol men and women consume.

Experts described the trends as “alarming”, warning of growing rates of liver disease among middle-aged women who had continued the “ladette” drinking habits of their youth.

They said a steady growth in wine drinking since the 1980s, and the marketing of “female-friendly” drinks such as cocktails, had driven British women to eighth worst place in the global league tables.

The study, led by the University of Washington, shows that on average women in the UK are now consuming three alcoholic drinks daily - exactly the same as men.