SHORT of a royal visit, the one thing British embassy staff abroad dread most is an invasion of staggers and henners.

An estimated 70 per cent of young Britons now prefer to travel abroad for their prenuptials, and a quarter of those land in some kind of trouble, from loss of passport to death by drowning, according to a Foreign and Commonwealth Office survey.

Yesterday the FCO came to the aid of its overburdened consular staff by issuing a set of guidelines to young people about to embark on their last overseas binge as singletons. The FCO’s own research suggests that most parties set off ill-prepared, only to fall victim to the curse of drink.

Of the 24 per cent of revellers who ran into trouble while carousing in Prague, Budapest or dozens of other favoured foreign destinations, half had lost money or had had cash, credit cards or tickets stolen; just over a third fell ill or were injured; and a quarter were arrested.

FCO research suggests that those who hit problems are the ones who take the least trouble to prepare for a foreign trip. While two thirds pack sun cream and more than a third are adequately supplied with contraception, fewer than a third take a copy of their passport, and nearly half do not take out travel insurance.

Significantly, well over half of partygoers rely on the organiser of the event, frequently a best man or bridesmaid, to research the destination and make all the travel arrengements. Many, the FCO says, are unaware of the local geography, laws and customs and have no idea of where to turn if things go wrong.

Steve Jewitt-Fleet, of the FCO’s consular communications team, said: “Thousands of stag and hen parties are held each year, and most return having had a great time. However, by their very nature, with guests out to let their hair down, they are at high risk of getting into problems. Many of these situations can be avoided if every individual in the group makes a few simple preparations before they travel.”

Dublin was once the top destination for male stags until the locals tired of outrageous British mainland behaviour. Now the carpet rolls daily out even further, to Prague, Budapest, Tallinn, or assorted German beer festivals, with Stuttgart rumoured to be this autumn’s must-vomit destination.

Although brides-to-be are equally capable of outrageous behaviour, they are now more likely to invite female friends, including even mothers and impending mothers-in-law, to girlie weekends of pampering at a health farm.

They should at least avoid some of the worst overseas stag excesses. Two years ago a 25-year-old Sussex man was found drowned off the Belgian coast at Ostend after taking a drink and drugs cocktail on a stag weekend to celebrate his first wedding anniversary.

A 38-year-old Oxfordshire man, stagging in Cork four years ago, narrowly escaped jail after admitting to the manslaughter of a 43-year-old Irish father of four after beating him with a golf club and pushing the non-swimmer into a river. The defendant claimed that he had been subjected to a mugging after being separated from his friends at the stag party.

Staggers and henners are regular victims of muggings during a night’s heavy drinking, with Barcelona and Madrid named by the FCO as the two most dangerous destinations.

A GUIDE TO CAREFREE CAROUSING

Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice to those travelling abroad for stag and hen parties:

• Don’t rely on one person to make the arrangements
  
  
• Know your alcohol limit. Drinking can impair judgment, lead to accidents and increase your risk of becoming a victim of crime
  
  
• Read up on your destination so that you have an idea of the geography
  
  
• Know the local laws and customs, for example acceptable behaviour and alcohol laws
  
  
• You may be going away for just a couple of days to Europe, but you will still need adequate medical and travel insurance before travelling
  
  
• Remember to check that your passport is valid, in good condition and that the next of kin details are filled in. Take a photocopy and keep it with you
  
  
• Keep the contact details of the nearest British consulate with you; they could prove invaluable in times of trouble
  
  
• Safer travel advice for your destination is available from the FCO website www.fco.gov.uk/travel or by phone from the FCO’s Travel Advice Unit on 0870 6060290

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