'Some things you only do when you're drunk' » Local Government » 24dash.com

With the Christmas party season underway, a new free texting service has been launched to help revellers get home safely from central London.

The service is part of a Westminster City Council's "Some things you only do when you're drunk" campaign.

This is aimed at encouraging the thousands of people who come to Westminster at this time of the year to take simple steps to ensure their night ends on a high note and not the frustration of an unpleasant journey home.

A survey commissioned by the council showed that nearly half of all commuters got into trouble after a night out at some time or another -  getting lost on their way home, missing work the next day, losing property, doing something they regretted or being the victim of violent behaviour.

All people have to do is go to www.somethings.co.uk to get telephone numbers for bus and safe taxi services.

And if making small talk with the boss is just too much, there is even an excuse text to help you get away from the boring office party.

As part of the campaign, there will be tube carriage advertising aimed at people in their ‘sober’ moments - travelling to and from work - giving the numbers they can use to help plan their journey home.

Fifty thousand beer mats in West End bars provide drinkers with a travel numbers pop out to keep in their wallet and there will also be posters in pub toilets reminding drinkers at their first loo-stop to think about how to get home.

Everyone who uses the text service enters a prize draw.

Prizes include a VIP New Year’s Eve trip for six people to a Leicester Square’s newest club, free taxi rides from work drinks, post office-party take aways and massages.

Councillor Audrey Lewis, Westminster's Cabinet Member for Licensing and Community Protection said: "Many thousands of people flock to Westminster to enjoy themselves at this time of the year and we want them all to get home safely. By taking a little time to plan their journey, people can save themselves an awful lot of bother at the end of the night."