5,000 boozy students drink, party and collapse on streets

Thousands of university students across Britain enjoyed their first taste of freedom on Freshers’ Week last night.

More than 5,000 teenagers beginning their studies at the University of Portsmouth partied into the early hours at six bars and clubs around the city on the biggest event of the week, called the ‘Big Night Out’ pub crawl.

The students converged around the Portsmouth Guildhall area, with some queues going around the block for The Astoria nightclub, one of the most popular venues in the city with its ‘Dirty Disco’ themed night.

Many security guards, police and Christian street pastors patrolled the area overnight to keep the peace and try to ensure everyone was safe – with Guildhall Walk resembling the Magaluf strip with the numbers of people.

The pub crawl started at 8pm at Mr Miyagi’s Bar with the students then moving onto other venues – The Astoria, Pryzm, Popworld, The Fleet and The Dockyard pub for the exclusive use by the students with their wristbands.

It follows reports that the Waterhole Bar at the university is set to be replaced by a coffee shop after a huge drop in alcohol sales. It will be turned it into a ‘social space’ which will also feature microwaves for students. 

Students were also photographed out in Birmingham last night as Freshers’ Week in the West Midlands kicked off with a bar crawl for Aston University students on Broad Street, famous for its strip of night clubs.

The bar crawl took thousands of new starters through the area after starting off at their student union, visiting bars and clubs including Walkabout, Coyote Ugly, Rosies, Revolution and finishing at Pryzm.

Meanwhile in Manchester last night, students gathered in the bars and clubs to celebrate the start of university, although some were clearly worse for wear and needed some help from friends as they sat on the pavement. 

Portsmouth University students make the most of Freshers’ Week yesterday evening during the ‘Big Night Out’ pub crawl

Thousands of teenagers beginning their studies at the University of Portsmouth partied into the early hours overnight

Students enjoying a night out in Portsmouth last night

Thousands of teenagers beginning their studies at the University of Portsmouth partied into the early hours overnight

Four young women walk arm-in-arm as university students enjoy their first taste of freedom during Freshers' Week

Four young women walk arm-in-arm as university students enjoy their first taste of freedom during Freshers’ Week

The students partied into the early hours at six bars and clubs around the city on the biggest event of the week

The students partied into the early hours at six bars and clubs around the city on the biggest event of the week

Thousands of teenagers walk through the streets of Portsmouth last night during the 'Big Night Out' pub crawl

Thousands of teenagers walk through the streets of Portsmouth last night during the ‘Big Night Out’ pub crawl

A young man carries a bottle of vodka as three women walk behind him in Portsmouth during Freshers' Week last night

A young man carries a bottle of vodka as three women walk behind him in Portsmouth during Freshers’ Week last night

The students converged around the Portsmouth Guildhall area yesterday evening for the 'Big Night Out' pub crawl

The students converged around the Portsmouth Guildhall area yesterday evening for the ‘Big Night Out’ pub crawl

Queues went around the block The Astoria nightclub, one of the most popular venues with its 'Dirty Disco' themed night

Queues went around the block The Astoria nightclub, one of the most popular venues with its ‘Dirty Disco’ themed night

Students walk through the streets of Portsmouth last night, which was also being patrolled by security guards and police

Students walk through the streets of Portsmouth last night, which was also being patrolled by security guards and police

The pub crawl started at 8pm yesterday at Mr Miyagi's Bar in Portsmouth with the students then moving onto other venues

The pub crawl started at 8pm yesterday at Mr Miyagi’s Bar in Portsmouth with the students then moving onto other venues

The Astoria, Pryzm, Popworld, The Fleet and The Dockyard pub were exclusively used by students with wristbands last night

The Astoria, Pryzm, Popworld, The Fleet and The Dockyard pub were exclusively used by students with wristbands last night

Four young women walk outside a venue in Portsmouth yesterday evening during the 'Big Night Out' pub crawl

Four young women walk outside a venue in Portsmouth yesterday evening during the ‘Big Night Out’ pub crawl

Guildhall Walk in Portsmouth resembled the Magaluf strip overnight with the numbers of people out on the street

Guildhall Walk in Portsmouth resembled the Magaluf strip overnight with the numbers of people out on the street

Three women sit on one of the stone lions in Portsmouth's Guildhall Square during the party yesterday evening

Three women sit on one of the stone lions in Portsmouth’s Guildhall Square during the party yesterday evening

A group of women stand outside a venue in Portsmouth last night during the Freshers' Week party for students

A group of women stand outside a venue in Portsmouth last night during the Freshers’ Week party for students

More than 5,000 university students enjoyed enjoyed their first taste of freedom during the Portsmouth Freshers' Week

More than 5,000 university students enjoyed enjoyed their first taste of freedom during the Portsmouth Freshers’ Week

A person collapsed on the pavement in Portsmouth is helped by someone as two police officers also come over to their aid

A person collapsed on the pavement in Portsmouth is helped by someone as two police officers also come over to their aid

A pedestrian is helped up by two men in Portsmouth last night during the Freshers' Week celebrations

A pedestrian is helped up by two men in Portsmouth last night during the Freshers’ Week celebrations

Two women walk along the pavements as huge numbers of students queue to get into a venue during the event last night

Two women walk along the pavements as huge numbers of students queue to get into a venue during the event last night

Two police officers walk alongside three men outside The Dockyard in Portsmouth as students converge for Freshers' Week

Two police officers walk alongside three men outside The Dockyard in Portsmouth as students converge for Freshers’ Week

A man and woman walk in the road during the Freshers' Week celebrations in Portsmouth yesterday evening

A man and woman walk in the road during the Freshers’ Week celebrations in Portsmouth yesterday evening

A group of women enjoy takeaway hot dogs to keep them going during the Freshers' Week partying yesterday evening

A group of women enjoy takeaway hot dogs to keep them going during the Freshers’ Week partying yesterday evening

A woman holds her shoes as she walks barefoot in Portsmouth

A man and woman look at a phone on the pavement in Portsmouth

A woman holds her shoes as she walks barefoot in Portsmouth, while a man and woman look at a phone on the pavement

Students were also pictured partying in Birmingham last night as Freshers' Week kicked off with an Aston University bar crawl

Students were also pictured partying in Birmingham last night as Freshers’ Week kicked off with an Aston University bar crawl

Freshers in Birmingham

Freshers in Birmingham

Aston University students were among those out in Birmingham’s Broad Street last night, famous for its strip of night clubs

The bar crawl took thousands of new starters through the Birmingham area after starting off at their student union

The bar crawl took thousands of new starters through the Birmingham area after starting off at their student union

Portsmouth freshers

Portsmouth freshers

Students in Birmingham visited bars and clubs including Walkabout, Coyote Ugly, Rosies, Revolution and finished at Pryzm

Freshers' Week is set to continue throughout this week in Birmingham to bring new students together at Aston University

Freshers’ Week is set to continue throughout this week in Birmingham to bring new students together at Aston University

A man gives the thumbs up to another slumped on the pavement during Freshers' Week celebrations in Birmingham last night

A man gives the thumbs up to another slumped on the pavement during Freshers’ Week celebrations in Birmingham last night

Thousands of revellers hit Birmingham on a normally quiet night with Walkabout, Rosie's and Players Bar all selling out

Thousands of revellers hit Birmingham on a normally quiet night with Walkabout, Rosie’s and Players Bar all selling out

A woman laughs as she lies on the ground during Freshers' Week celebrations in Birmingham overnight

A woman laughs as she lies on the ground during Freshers’ Week celebrations in Birmingham overnight

West Midlands Ambulance Service workers were kept busy as they attended to some of the revellers in Birmingham last night

West Midlands Ambulance Service workers were kept busy as they attended to some of the revellers in Birmingham last night

Freshers' Week in Manchester was also underway last night, including events such as 'Freshers' Zoo' and 'Battle of the Unis'

Freshers’ Week in Manchester was also underway last night, including events such as ‘Freshers’ Zoo’ and ‘Battle of the Unis’

Revellers in Manchester could be seen enjoying their new-found freedom in the city's bars and clubs last night

Revellers in Manchester could be seen enjoying their new-found freedom in the city’s bars and clubs last night

One woman needed some help as she sat on the pavement, but most students had a riotous time in Manchester last night

One woman needed some help as she sat on the pavement, but most students had a riotous time in Manchester last night

Two young women start their night off by heading to the various fresher events at the bars and clubs of Manchester

A man throws up outside Revolution in Manchester

Two young women head for one of the freshers events in Manchester (left), while a man throws up outside Revolution (right)

Two Greater Manchester Police officers watch on during the Freshers' Week events in the city yesterday evening

Two Greater Manchester Police officers watch on during the Freshers’ Week events in the city yesterday evening

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