A  YOUNG bank worker drank himself to death in a boozing competition with a pal which they copied from a hit film.

David Reid, 22, and James Lynch knocked back half bottles of tequila and gin, along with whisky, in just 30 to 45 minutes.

They had earlier drunk cans of beer and margaritas.

They were recreating a scene from the film American Pie 5: the Naked Mile, in which two men have a drinking competition - known as `last man standing' - that goes on until one of them drops.

Manchester university graduate David, who worked at the Bank of New York in Manchester city centre, was carried to bed after saying he couldn't drink anymore.

He was found dead hours later. Yesterday an inquest ruled that David, of Carrill Grove, Levenshulme, died from alcohol poisoning which had stopped his brain from working. A blood alcohol sample had showed he was six to seven times over the legal driving limit.

Recording a verdict of misadventure, Manchester deputy coroner Leonard Gorodkin said: "He had drank a vast amount of alcohol and what can be alright so many times the next occasion can end in tragedy. We all know about excesses drinking and it has claimed the life of this young man."

Now David's father, Philip, has pleaded for other young people to learn from the tragedy.

Bullet

Philip, 55, said today: “Every shot David took was like another bullet. All the hard work he put in, through school, sixth form and university, was gone in an instant.

“David was always sensible but on this occasion decided to play this game and the concentration of alcohol was fatal.

“A lot is said about the superficial effects of binge drinking, such as fighting, but this shows it can kill. Young men have to realise how dangerous strong spirits are to them – your brain and body disconnect and you don't realise how much you've drunk until it's too late.

“A drinking contest might be fun for 15 minutes but the consequences are not worth it either for the person affected or their mates who have to deal with it.”

Philip, a retired pub landlord, warned against the fatal consequences of binge drinking and booze based competitions and insisted his son, who had a degree in international finance, was normally a sensible drinker and the tragic stunt was out of character.

Drink awareness groups have backed his pleas for people to drink responsibly. David's friend Mr Lynch said they had spent the evening at his home in Worsley Grove, Levenshulme, with other friends watching TV and playing cards.

“I cannot be too clear on what happened but on a normal night David would have about seven or eight pints but on this occasion drank far more than that,” he added.

Pathologist Raymond McMahon said the alcohol reading of 5,240 micrograms was in the range associated with death.

Rock concert

Mr Reid said his son was looking forward to going to a rock concert the following night so he and his friends had decided to stay in the house and wanted to watch a comedy film.

He added: “It was completely out of the blue. He never drank during the week because he didn't want anything to interfere with his work and when he did drink it was sensibly. This is why it shook us so much. It was completely out of character.”

David, whose parents Philip and Linda are divorced, is survived by older brother Christopher, 28. His family said the former-pupil at Wigan's Deanery High School was a keen sportsman who followed Arsenal FC.

He was reported to be well respected at the bank, which is based in central Manchester, where he worked as a financial recovery specialist.

Frank Soodeen, of drink misuse charity Alcohol Concern echoed Mr Reid's warning. He said: “Too often binge drinking is seen just as a subject for amusing anecdotes or as a rite of passage for young people. It's vital that we provide better information for young people about the inherent risks of drinking heavily during any one evening.

“In situations like these, we are too often nowhere as invincible as we're encouraged to think.”

Culture

A spokesman for alcohol treatment agency Addaction said: “Sadly, we live in a culture that turns a blind eye to the risks involved in heavy drinking. Excessive amounts of booze can kill and we have to do more to change attitudes that encourage young people to risk their health and even their lives by drinking too much - all in the name of having a good time.”

Jackie Williams, managing director of The Bank of New York Mellon in Manchester, said: “It was with great shock and sadness that we learned of David's death. He was a popular member of the team and showed great dedication to his work.

“Our thoughts have been with David's family ever since and he is greatly missed.”

Tweet