WORKERS at a Worcester firm gave new meaning to the expression drinking on the job when they were asked to try out some new breathalysers.

Staff from call centre Leadline were given the go-ahead to quaff glasses of beer and wine for an experiment designed to help them do their jobs better.

The firm is responsible for selling the equipment on behalf of company UK breathalyser and decided to hold a social evening for staff to test out a batch of new breathalysers.

Sales director Clare Cross said using and understanding the equipment helped staff be more effective at selling it.

Between 10 and 15 call centre operatives joined representatives from UK Breathalyser for a meal after work and were breathalysed at regular intervals with some shocking results.

Operations director Andy Singleton said: "Two people had drunk and eaten similar things but they measured completely differently.

"One was safe to drive and the other one was twice the limit."

However, he added the next morning the woman who was over the limit still had alcohol in her system while the other woman had none.

He said the results showed the way alcohol affected people could be different according to their metabolism and environmental factors.

Mr Singleton said the New Street company now sold breathalysers, priced between £25 and £120, to a range of people including those who wanted to have fun with them in the pub and bus and train drivers, airline pilots and police officers.

Mrs Cross added: "They are about the size of mobile phones and employers are using them more and more in the workplace.

"It's an important part of health and safety now to make sure people are safe in the workplace.

"It's been 40 years this month since breathalysers first appeared and it's now something that people are starting to carry round with them."