PARKLIFE POPPERS - WOMAN IN HOSPITAL
Festival-goer seriously ill after drinking drug
AWOMAN is seriously ill in hospital after drinking the drug poppers at Parklife.
The 26-year-old was one of five people taken ill after they ingested the drug at the festival.
The other four have since been discharged, however she remains in hospital where her condition is said to be ‘serious but stable’.
Police say they confiscated 400 bottles of pop- pers which were being sold on site by the festival.
A slang term for amyl nitrate, poppers are a liquid which causes a sudden head rush when they are sniffed. However, they can be lethal if ingested. Festival bosses had said anyone found with legal highs would be banned from the Heaton Park festival.
They also tweeted out a warning against ingesting the drug after they learned some people were swallowing it as shots.
It emerged yesterday that festival vendors were behind the sale of the poppers, labelled as ‘Liquid Gold’.
Chief Inspector Gary Simpson said: “We are now extremely concerned that people are drinking poppers and this poses a significant risk to life and would urge anyone using, or considering using them or any ‘legal high’ to cease from doing so immediately, before it’s too late.
“Anyone who has consumed any of these substances is urged to seek medical help immediately.
“We are investigating the sale of these poppers and I want to stress the seriousness of selling or distributing ‘legal highs’ and warn people that we will not tolerate it.”
The festival said it had pulled the product from sale after the incidents.
A Parklife spokeswoman told the M.E.N.: “As with many festivals across the UK, poppers were on sale at Parklife Festival.
“After yesterday’s misuse of the product, the festival will not be selling these anymore. The safety and well-being of attendees is of the highest importance to the festival. Safety messaging was relayed on social media and screens at the festival.”
The festival has a strict anti-drugs policy with welfare tents available for anyone who fell ill. It’s understood on-site medical and welfare experts were warned to look out for ‘blue colouring around the mouth and fingers’ as a sign of potential poppers ingestion.
The festival’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy was announced on the back of a government plea that all festival organisers introduce a ‘ no legal highs’ rule.