Warning after rise in Shropshire ketamine hospitalisations

Staff at Shrewsbury Academy said it has had an immediate response to the concerns

Families are being warned to talk about the dangers of ketamine after a increase in those admitted to hospital.

Shropshire Council said it has coincided with the "spell of hot weather and the end of exam season".

Local drug and alcohol support organisation, We Are With You, have also raised concerns about a "contaminated" batch of the class b drug in circulation.

It said it is important young people are fully informed of the risks

Graham McGaw from We Are With You, said it can be "almost impossible" to know what is in a substance.

"It can be quite challenging and difficult for a parent or carer to have that conversation with a young person and I think it is really important that if a parent is concerned and is unsure on how to proceed that they contact an agency like ourselves for support," he said.

Julie Johnson, headteacher at Shrewsbury Academy, said it has made an immediate response to the concerns: "It is really important for us to have that communication with students, it is okay to come to school to talk to us."

Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Shropshire Council's Cabinet member for children and education, added: "This is a concerning issue for young people, parents and carers, and we support the advice of our partners to be aware of the risks and for parents to have a conversation with their young people this weekend, ahead of any celebrations."