A global alcohol education programme is set to visit East Lancashire schools.

'Smashed' is an international educational theatre production by Collingwood Learning, supported by Diageo, which aims to educate students about the dangers of underage drinking.

The programme, which has reached more than 580,000 students in Great Britain and 5.5 million globally, will visit schools in Lancashire, such as The Valley Leadership Academy in Bacup, Our Lady and St John's Catholic High School in Blackburn, Unity College in Burnley, and Ridgewood Community High School in Burnley.

Diageo has supported Smashed since it began in 2005Diageo has supported Smashed since it began in 2005 (Image: Supplied)

From November 25 to December 6, the initiative will use interactive performances to educate students about the causes and consequences of underage drinking.

The project combines drama with interactive workshops, using professional actors to present a 25-minute performance followed by a 35-minute workshop where participants reflect on the themes and answer questions about the choices made by the characters.

Nuno Teles, managing director at Diageo GB, said: "I am so proud that ‘Smashed’ has reached its twentieth year in Great Britain.

"This really is a testament to the incredible impact of the programme worldwide, consistently delivering a fantastic learning experience for young people with a proven significant increase in understanding of the dangers of underage drinking.

"At Diageo, we are deeply committed to tackling underage drinking and we hope that the students we are visiting across Lancashire will not only gain valuable insights from the performances, but also leave better informed and prepared to make responsible choices about alcohol."

In the past decade, the UK has made positive progress in reducing levels of underage drinkingIn the past decade, the UK has made positive progress in reducing levels of underage drinking (Image: Supplied)

Chris Simes, managing director at Collingwood Learning, added: "We are excited to return to Lancashire with Smashed Live in Autumn 2024.

"Despite the progress made in reducing underage drinking across Great Britain, it remains crucial to continue reinforcing our message, and our team is eager to engage young people across Lancashire about the ongoing health and social risks of drinking underage."