Naloxone: Hertfordshire Police say lives saved by nasal spray

The emergency treatment comes in the form of a nasal spray

A nasal spray used to deal with suspected drug overdoses has saved six lives, a police force said.

Hertfordshire Police officers have carried naloxone spray since April, following a successful six-month trial.

Front-line officers have been trained in how to administer the nasal spray which temporarily reverses the effects of opiate drugs, such as heroin.

Ch Insp Jason Keane said: "Naloxone is easy to administer and buys vital time before paramedics arrive."

He said it had demonstrated it "can be the difference between life and death".

The force said that if naloxone was administered to someone who had not had a drug overdose it would not do any harm.

Officers carrying the nasal spray have been trained by the charity Change Grow Live, in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council.