Craig Allison, 50, suffered after a treasure hunter handed out slices of his 50th birthday treat unaware it was laced with drugs

A treasure hunter who was spiked when he ate a piece of chocolate cake laced with cannabis at a metal detecting convention told how he felt like he 'was going to die.'

Craig Allison, 50, was one of 15 people who suffered after a fellow treasure hunter handed out slices of his 50th birthday treat unaware it was laced with drugs.

Police said they were taken ill at a metal detecting convention in the village of High Melton, near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, and 13 of those had to be taken to hospital.

Some burst into song, others started dancing around the marquee and some collapsed on the tent floor as the drug took hold.

The NHS sent out a Hazardous Area Response Team who are trained to respond to serious public health threats, including terrorism, to the marquee hosting the Coil to the Soil (CTTS) event on Saturday evening.

A 48-year-old woman from County Durham has been arrested in connection to the incident and currently remains in police custody.

Craig Allison, 50, who runs Crawfords Metal Detectors in Scunthorpe, North East Lincs, said: 'I was just finishing up for the day on Saturday when I walked past the marquee and saw a friend sat outside.'

Eighteen people burst into song, started dancing or collapsed on the marquee floor after a man handed out slices of his 50th birthday treat unaware it was laced with drugs at the event in High Melton, near Doncaster

These pictures posted to Facebook claim to show the scene when a large number of ambulances arrived to treat the detectorists who had eaten the laced cake

He told how a man called Gary Cook had called him over and asked him if he wanted to have a piece of birthday cake.

Mr Allison said: 'To me, it tasted like a standard chocolate cake, it was possibly a bit dry but other than that I didn't notice any difference.

'I wished the guy a happy birthday, ate the cake and went on my way.'

But unbeknown to Mr Allison and his colleague, Sam Ablott, 45, who also accepted a piece of cake, the cake was laced with cannabis, which would send him into a spiral of dizziness and confusion.

He had eaten his tea and had a drink of beer when he started to feel funny.

He said: 'I started to feel dizzy and got steadily worse until I knew I wasn't going to be able to walk and then I went down.

'People rushed round me straight away to help, I was the first of many to go down and as it was so hot the first thing anybody thought of was that I was suffering from sunstroke.

'An ambulance was called for me.

NHS bosses deployed a Hazardous Area Response Team who are trained to respond to serious public health threats, after members of the convention started suffering from the effects of the cannabis (file picture)

'I felt genuinely terrible, I really thought I was going to die. I did not know what was going on, I felt like I was drifting away.

'Then, while I was on the ground I overheard somebody in the background saying: 'Has he had any cake?'

'It soon transpired there were a few of us who had eaten cake laced with cannabis.

'I have never taken any drugs before so I didn't know what was going on, the ambulance staff said this is why I had such an adverse reaction.

'All I can say now is that it was a prank that got out of hand. The cake took 45 minutes to have an effect on me, anybody could have been driving or anything at that point.

'It was stupid and irresponsible.

'Once I realised it was a prank I started to feel angry. I go to these events as a trader and I am very busy at these events and have to be on the ball.'

Mr Allison was taken to hospital in an ambulance at about 9.30pm and was later released.

Mr Allison said Mr Cook, from 'down south', had been given the cake by another woman.

Mr Allison said: 'We metal detectors have quite an anorak image, which I do not think is true, but I'm worried this will give us a different image altogether.

'We are a great bunch who like to get outdoors and like a bit of history.'

Another victim who is not named, said: 'I Just got back from hospital and I am OK. Just got to rest for a couple of days. This is what happened to me, my colleague, and it seems 18 others.

'At the CTTS rally where we had our trade stand, I accepted some chocolate cake from a mate, his 50th, so why wouldn't I? I don't blame him by the way.

'Apparently, It was made for him. However, some sick individual thought it funny to give a drug laced cake to innocent people.

'In my case, I ate one piece of the cake, had some tea and shortly after was on the floor fighting for my life. At least, that's how it felt and that's what the good people administering first aid have told me.

'Doctors tell me my reaction was extreme as I have never taken drugs of any kind before. Whoever did this is sick, sick, sick in the head. What if kids had been present?'

South Yorkshire Police said: 'An investigation is underway after a group of people fell ill as a result of eating something reportedly containing cannabis, during an event in the High Melton area of Doncaster.

'The group, of both men and women, were taken to hospital at about 7pm on Saturday 24 August. All have since been discharged.

'A 48-year-old woman from County Durham has been arrested in connection to the incident and currently remains in police custody where she will be spoken to by detectives.'

Members of the metal detecting community have been outraged by the sick prank.

One posted on social media: 'I cannot believe someone would be so irresponsible.

'Up to people what they take and do, but heart or health conditions could lead to a fatality. I am honestly beyond shocked.'

A Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokesman said 15 patients were treated by ambulance at the scene and 13 of those were taken to hospitals in South Yorkshire for further care.

The spokesman said: 'We received an emergency call just before 6.30pm on Saturday (24) to reports of a number of people feeling unwell at a national metal detecting event being held near Sprotbrough, Doncaster in South Yorkshire.

'They had become unwell after ingesting an unknown substance.

'Eight ambulances, a rapid response vehicle, two doctors, two clinical supervisors and the Trust's Hazardous Area Response Team were dispatched to the scene.

'Fifteen patients were treated by ambulance service staff on scene and 13 of those were conveyed to hospitals in South Yorkshire for further care.'