Leicestershire Police officers to trial life-saving nasal spray

The spray is an emergency antidote for drug overdoses caused by heroin and other opiates or opioids

Leicestershire Police officers are set to trial a nasal spray used to deal with suspected drug overdoses.

From Thursday, the force said officers in Leicester and Loughborough would be offered training in the use of naloxone.

It works by temporarily reversing the effects of overdose, by reversing the depression of the central nervous and respiratory systems.

The spray has been used by police in Hertfordshire, Bristol and Scotland.

A Leicestershire Police spokesperson said 18 forces had given officers the opportunity to carry naloxone, with more than 300 lives saved as a result.

'Rebuilding their lives'

Police said Leicester and Loughborough were selected as trial areas "following research into areas across the force affected most by drug-related harm".

Det Ch Insp Kevin Brown said: "After seeing the success across other forces and the fact that hundreds of lives have been saved, we wanted to bring this change to Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

"An officer carrying naloxone could not only mean that lives are saved but that people affected by drug use are then also given the advice, support and opportunities needed to help them in rebuilding their lives."