A series of events this week will encourage prople to take a close look at their drinking habits.

This week is the first National Alcohol Awareness week.

The Kenward Trust charity, The Kent Drug and Alcohol Action Team and the Tonbridge and Malling Community Safety Partnership are hosting events.

One includes the chance to experience safely in a simulator (pictured) what happens when drunk people get behind the wheel of a car.

The Yalding-based Kenward Trust drug and alcohol charity has teamed up with the Tunbridge Wells Community Safety Partnership and the RED Driving School to give people a taste of how their drinking affects their driving.

The simulator will be outside the clock tower at the Royal Victoria Shopping Centre, all day on Friday, October 23.

The Urban Blue bus, which offers reassurance and support to clubbers during nights out will be on tour throughout Kent, and will stop off and will be offering non-alcholic "mocktails." It visits Maidstone High Street on Thursday.

Also on Friday, representatives of the Tonbridge and Malling Community Safety Partnership will be in Liberty Square at Kings Hill and will hand out drink diaries, free non-alcoholic drinks and other information on how to cut down on drinking.

Kent County Council’s cabinet member for communities, Cllr Mike Hill (Con), said: "This is an opportunity for everyone to look at the effect drinking alcohol may be having on their lives. It’s all too easy to slip into a pattern of drinking, without realising that you are having one or two drinks too many. Even this small increase can have serious effects on your long term health."