The Welsh Assembly said it will consult on plans to bring in a minimum charge of 50p per unit of alcohol in the country.

That could drive up the price of booze – and lead to "drink tourism" that could benefit businesses in Shropshire.

Research suggested a charge of 50p per unit would save nearly £900 million over 20 years by cutting crime and illness, with 50 fewer deaths a year.

Ministers said they were committed to using their powers to "improve and protect" the health of people in Wales.

But a drinks industry spokesman said the plans would "ramp up" prices while "doing nothing" to tackle alcohol harm.

The Welsh Assembly claim it will save lives, reduce crime and take the strain off NHS services.

But critics warn that Welsh shops will see a slump in trade as people bring alcohol back from Shropshire across the border.

The proposed new rules could see a return of a movement across the border on Sundays, when Welsh drinkers would travel into England because Welsh pubs closed on the Sabbath.

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The dry Sunday rules benefitted pubs on the English side of the border – and even led to special steamer excursions being laid on from towns in South Wales across the Bristol Channel to resorts like Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare.

Miles Beale, Wine and Spirit Trade Association chief executive, said he is against the proposed price hike, adding: "Minimum Unit Pricing will unfairly ramp up the cost of over half of the drinks on supermarket shelves and hit Welsh drinkers with at least £55m extra on their drinks bill while doing nothing to tackle alcohol harm.

"The substantial cost of implementation and enforcement, as well as the risk of losing shoppers across the border, is likely to hit Welsh businesses and jobs and the UK Treasury is set to lose out in £11m in revenues directly."

But Vaughan Gething, Welsh Assembly health minister, said: "Evidence shows that introducing minimum unit price of 50p per unit would reduce alcohol consumption."

The Royal College of Physicians said it welcomed the use of legislation where there is evidence to support its use. The consultation will run until December.