COTSWOLD residents are being warned about the dangers of an illegal drug following an incident in Bourton at the weekend.

At about12.45am on Saturday (28) officers were called to reports that a man was acting in a violent and abusive manner after paramedics were called to a flat on the High Street.

Two men at the address, aged 18 and 19, are believed to have taken a cocktail of alcohol and class A drug MDMA (Methylenedioxymethamphetamine).

They were initially refusing to go in the ambulance to hospital but a local officer attended and was able to persuade them they needed to be checked out at the hospital for their own welfare .

Thankfully due to the officer’s encouragement the men did go with paramedics because, while at hospital, the 19-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest.

PC Chris Skinner said: “This morning [Thursday, February 2 ] we received the news that if we had not intervened and persuaded this man to go with the ambulance he may no longer be with us.

“This was clearly a very shocking and distressing incident for the man and his family and we want to warn other people of the dangers of this and other illegal drugs.

“We also encourage anyone with any information about illegal drugs to contact us or Crimestoppers so that action can be taken to prevent these substances from getting onto the county’s streets and bring to offenders to justice.”

Anyone with any information about the use or supply of illegal drugs should contact Gloucestershire Police by calling the non-emergency number, 101.

Information can also be given anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or by visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.

A reward of up to £1,000 could be given if someone is arrested and charged.