New students are being given coloured wrist bands to wear during the introductory week in their new city to indicate they are under the legal age for alcohol.

In August, thousands of students arrive in the city where they will attend university and are taken on introductory outings to get to know their new surroundings.

These outings involve alcohol and to ensure the younger students do not break the law on under-age drinking, the organisers of the events will issue them with wrist bands in a particular colour.

Students over the legal age will wear wrist bands in a different colour.

The legal drinking age was raised from 16 to 18 on January 1.

If an under-age student is caught with alcohol, the wrist band will be cut through and the student not allowed to attend any more events.