New glass to make pub fights safer

Bar room brawls are about to get safer with the unveiling of two new prototype pint glasses.

The staple weapon of choice in any pub is responsible for nearly 87,000 glass attacks every year.

These new glasses unveiled today by Home Secretary Alan Johnson, will not shatter into shards because it is made of Glass Plus.

Though it will look like a normal pint glass, it has a transparent layer of bio-resin inside, binding the shards together should it be smashed.

The new glasses have been produced as part of the Design Out Crime programme, and will be subject to testing before being piloted in pubs.

Glass attacks are costing the NHS around £2.7 billion every year with alcohol related violence costing the UK between £8billion and £13billion a year to deal with.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: “Glassing causes horrific injuries and has a lasting and devastating impact on victims and their families. I hope these designs will help bring an end to such attacks. While this is never going to be the only answer to preventing such violence, it is an important step forward which could also provide retailers and drinkers with a preferable alternative to plastic glasses.”