Organisers say the aim of the conference is to instil a responsible drinking culture in the region.

In the UK, alcohol is the catalyst for around 1.2 million violent incidents a year - about half of all violent crime, according to statistics.

Cleveland Police Deputy Chief Constable Ron Hogg will open next month's event.

The conference will be attended by officials from Northumbria, Durham and Cleveland police forces, the Director of Policy and Public Affairs for Alcohol Concern, the Police Standards Unit at the Home Office, and the Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science.

Mr Hogg said: "It is vitally important that our partners, in whatever capacity, who have an interest or responsibility to reduce alcohol-related offending and misuse in all its forms across the North East, endeavour to attend this conference on October 14.

"It is going to be a meeting of minds to discuss the way forward."