AS Christmas approaches, so too do the festive celebrations and get-together for many. For the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) it is the busiest time of the year and party-goers are being urged to take care to ensure they end up back home rather than the back of an ambulance.

There has been an increase of 999 calls into EEAST of more than (check for %) compared to 2014. With this in mind, and to help ensure you are having fun but being safe, here are 12 tips of Christmas to avoid becoming part of those statistics:
1. Know your limit

2. Never be tempted to drink and drive

3. Designate a driver who isn’t drinking or ensure you have booked a taxi for the end of the night

4. Safety in numbers: Always stay in groups and make sure no one wanders off

5. Wrap up warm: alcohol deceives the body into thinking it is warm, when in fact the vital organs have lost heat

6. Be wary of poor walking conditions, footpaths and kerbs may be slippery from ice, snow, and rain making for a lethal combination

7. If you’re friend has had too much to drink make sure you take extra care of them for theirs and your own safety

8. Regulate how much you drink because the more you drink, the more likely you are to have an accident

9. Be vigilant with you and your friends and avoid substance misuse

10. Guard your drinks, keep them in hand and never lose sight of them. If you do, get a new one

11. Don’t try and cook after going out, order fast food or eat before heading home

12. Before heading out, ensure you have eaten properly or at least a good snack

The ambulance service will also be working with voluntary organisations and the police in city centres across the region to provide immediate care to people who are suffering from excess alcohol, or those who have sustained an injury during the night.

Meanwhile, the service faces one of its busiest times of the year this weekend, and followers of @EastEnglandAmb on Twitter will be able to follow the first-ever live ‘24 Hours in East England’ Twitterthon from the Trust’s three control rooms and ambulance crew during the 18th and 19th.

You can read all about our Wise Up For Winter advice here, follow @EastEnglandAmb #winterwise, and visit Facebook for more.