STUNNED Churchfields School pupils listened attentively as Clive Loveday told them how binge drinking killed his son.

The Royal Mail postman who described himself as "just an ordinary dad" wants to educate young people about the dangers of alcohol abuse.

And as part of the school's citizenship day, Mr Loveday was invited to Churchfields to give his first talk to schools.

The normal timetable was suspended for the day as students took part in activities and discussions relating to drugs and alcohol awareness, smoking, sex education and healthy eating.

One of the most poignant lessons the pupils, aged 13 to 15, learned came from Mr Loveday, whose 19-year-old son Matthew, pictured right, died on New Year's Day 2005 after a New Year's Eve party in Buckinghamshire.

"I want to show young people that this can happen to anyone," said the 49-year-old.

"It's not just something that happens on the TV or what you read about, it is real and it happened to my son.

"Nowadays children as young as 12 are out drinking and it's vital that they know what risks are involved."

Matthew had been challenged to drink shots of the aniseed liquor ouzo as part of a drinking game.

Every time Matthew heard the word hungry during the song he had to knock back a shot of the potent spirit.

By the time the song, Hungry Eyes had stopped playing he had consumed 13 shots. He then continued drinking.

Later Matthew collapsed and died.

Mr Loveday, of Hythe Road, Old Town, is now hoping to tour all of Swindon's secondary schools to educate pupils about the dangers of alcohol abuse.

And Churchfields pupils are the first in the town to learn from this tragic story.

Mr Loveday said: "I think the main problem for Matthew was the time in which he drank the shots and it's so important young people know just how dangerous drinking like this is.

He added: "I think the story hits them hard because I am not a policeman or a doctor, I am just an ordinary dad.

"Hopefully after the talk the young people will look out for each other when they are out.

Unfortunately Matthew didn't have anyone to look out for him and tell him to stop."

Matthew's story was told in a television programme last year called Britain's Youngest Boozers, which highlighted the rise of binge-drinking among younger people. After his work last year Mr Loveday was nominated as one of the Swindon Advertiser's personalities of the year.

The Churchfields citizenship day was organised by Anna Colledge, who teaches, French German and citizenship.

"I think the day gives pupils a chance to learn a great deal about healthy living," she said.

Think before you take that drink is the advice

TEENAGERS need to think before they drink according to Bill Carlton, the acting director of the Swindon and Wiltshire Alcohol and Drug Service.

He believes that the trend for teenagers to binge drink is a timebomb waiting to explode, with the binge drinkers of today ending up the hospital victims of tomorrow unless they change their drinking patterns.

Mr Carlton would like teenagers to be aware that drinking carries a heavy cost to a person's health and that they should try to moderate how much they drink.

And he is calling on pub and off-licence managers to act responsibly and to stop marketing to the binge-drinkers. He said: "It's a time-bomb waiting to happen. The health problems these people will be facing in 10 or 15 years' time could put our whole health system into crisis.

"At the moment, we seem to be concentrating on the anti-social behaviour issues and the short-term damage it does to our town centres but not on the long-term damage it does to the drinkers themselves.

"The pub and off-licence industry doesn't help at all as they seem to market their whole drinking strategy to binge-drinkers with two-for one offers and shots.

"They need to take responsibility for what they do."

Pupils shocked at sad story

CLIVE Loveday's talk had a profound effect on pupils.

Michael McNicholas, 13, of Walcot, said he was left saddened by what Mr Loveday had to say.

"I was shocked when he said his son had died from alcohol," he said.

"I don't drink myself, but it will make me think carefully in future and I won't drink large amounts of alcohol.

"They gave us lots of advice, but eating before you drink seems very important."

Abi Ashby, 14, of Park South, was similarly shocked to hear of Matthew Loveday's death.

She said: "It has made me think about it a lot more.

"I thought it was very distressing, but the talk was very helpful and it taught me not to drink large amounts of alcohol without anybody being around."

Hope Stroud, 14, of Penhill, said that Mr Loveday's account would make her think twice about drinking.

"I thought it was depressing and quite scary," she said.

"People who drink too much don't really think of what could happen to them.

"If you are going to drink you have to do it responsibly."