Britons urged to drink less and ski more this season

Partying too hard on your ski holiday could prove both costly and painful.

People going on ski holidays have been warned that they may be rendering their travel insurance cover void and putting their lives at risk if they take to the slopes under the influence of alcohol.

While it may be tempting to hit the apres-ski chalets with a vengeance following a challenging day on the slopes, a study has revealed that Brits may be seriously underestimating the length of time drink takes to clear their system.

In fact, a worrying half a million people from the UK will unwittingly ski while over the drink-drive limit on their winter sports holidays this year, while 45 per cent said they plan to drink every night.

Since large amounts of booze can take until 11:00 the following day to dissipate, this could mean that holidaymakers are at risk of some nasty accidents.

Not only this, but they could find themselves without travel insurance cover, as drinking even the night before could negate some policies.

Pete Markey, a spokesperson for More Than which carried out the study, said: "Drink driving is severely frowned upon and drink skiing should be too - it can be just as dangerous."

Our advice? Go on the piste, not on the … oh, you get the picture.

On a brighter note, Teletext Holidays' Anthony Chenery said this week that ski enthusiasts can get some great deals on half-board ski holidays this season, with some as cheap as self-catering.