Teen booze horror

Two youths rushed to hospital after disco fiasco

TWO students nearly died after downing alcohol before a youth disco.

A dozen children, all aged around 16, were violently sick after arriving intoxicated at the booze-free event in Bandon Rugby Club, Co Cork, last Friday.

Three ambulances were sent to the venue and a doctor set up a field hospital before two critically ill youngsters were transferred to Cork University Hospital where they were treated overnight.

Medics revealed they had found naggins of spirits hidden in pupils’ socks.

Around 500 teenagers attended the disco but those who had not been allowed in headed to Bandon town. Some got into trouble with gardai and ended up spending the night in police cells. Emergency physician Dr Jason van der Velde said: “The best description I could give was arriving into a vomitorium.”

However, he praised the club for its handling of the crisis. Hospital consultant Dr Chris Luke said the incident was “jaw-dropping”.

He claimed some parents arrived on the scene and verbally confronted paramedics, insisting their children’s drinks had been spiked.

The doctor added: “Having your drink spiked in Ireland is really very, very rare. But when you find teens on buses with clinking rucksacks, you have to ask how was it planted on the back of that girl?

“How were they plied with their drink by some horrible stranger?

“Nobody else other than the parents can prevent this kind of scenario. If the child is scantily clad going out into the winter night with a clinking rucksack you have to ask yourself is there a risk this youngster will end up in hospital.

“The medical staff, the paramedics performed miracles.

“They delivered a wonderful service which eased the burden on CUH, which was already very busy.”