Killer ecstacy alert for UK clubbers

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Two people have died and 20 more are in hospital after taking a deadly batch of the party drug Ecstasy, British police fear. Two young men collapsed and died after attending all-night dance events at Alexandra Palace in North London. A third man was in a serious condition in hospital and doctors reported at least 20 similar cases across the capital and Home Counties. Scotland Yard detectives suspect they may have all consumed doses of MDMA, the chemical name for Ecstasy. They urgently appealed to more than 20 000 clubbers who had attended the events to seek immediate medical attention if they had taken similar drugs. The deaths are the latest to highlight the dangers of the drug which is experiencing a fresh surge in popularity in powdered rather than tablet form.

It has been linked to a series of deaths in Britain and the US, where users have collapsed from heat stroke, dehydration and heart failure.

The two men died after joining thousands of clubbers at Alexandra Palace, which has been transformed into a landmark venue for marathon music events. It hosted two massive dance shows involving some of the biggest names in the business, billed as the biggest all-night dance event of the year.

Both victims died within seven hours of each other yesterday morning after being taken to the Whittington Hospital in North London. The first, aged 21, attended an all-night party called Bass Culture, which started on Friday and continued until 6am on Saturday.

The second victim, aged 20, went to the Epic event featuring veteran BBC DJ Pete Tong which began on Saturday evening and ran until Sunday morning.

The third victim, a 20-year-old man, remained in intensive care last night where his condition was described as “serious but stable”.

Privately employed medical staff treated two of the victims at the venue before dialling 999. NHS bosses yesterday sent an urgent message to hospitals across the South-East as the scale of the crisis became clear, asking for information about other potential cases. It is understood doctors said 20 others had been admitted with similar symptoms after consuming Ecstasy or other drugs.

Detective Inspector Rita Tierney, of the Metropolitan Police, said officers suspected Ecstasy may be responsible for the deaths, but it has not been confirmed.

She said: “Although it is too early to say what caused these men’s health to deteriorate, we are investigating the possibility that illegal drugs may have been involved.

“If you have taken what you believed to be MDMA, or any other substance, during this weekend’s events at Alexandra Palace, and are now feeling unwell, I would strongly urge you to attend your nearest hospital as soon as possible.”

The deaths came just four months after two men died in Ayshire, west Scotland, after taking Ecstasy tablets with a dose six times stronger than normal.

The Government’s controversial drugs advisory body has repeatedly called for the law on Ecstasy to be softened.

Experts have watched Ecstasy use rise over the past year and partly attribute its popularity to strong and cheap powdered forms of the drug. Tablets once cost up to £8, but doses aimed at clubbers looking to stay up all night can now be bought for less than a pub drink.

More than seven in 100 British adults admit to having taken Ecstasy, which is thought to kill up to 20 people every year.

In a joint statement last night, Alexandra Palace and event organiser Lock N Load said staff were “deeply shocked and saddened”. - Daily Mail