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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/28/two-held-suspicion-drug-offences-leeds-festival
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| Two held on suspicion of drug offences after death at Leeds festival | Two held on suspicion of drug offences after death at Leeds festival |
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| Two teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of drug offences following the death of a 17-year-old at Leeds festival. | Two teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of drug offences following the death of a 17-year-old at Leeds festival. |
| The boy, from the Greater Manchester area, collapsed immediately after ingesting an unspecified substance on Saturday evening. He was rushed to St James’s hospital in a critical condition but was pronounced dead shortly after midnight, West Yorkshire police said. | |
| Police are questioning two teenagers, both also aged 17, in Greater Manchester on suspicion of drug offences. | |
| Leeds festival’s police commander, Ch Supt Keith Gilert, issued a warning after the deaths about the danger of taking drugs, which followed concerns about the sale of ecstasy with child-friendly logos after a number of scares involving children. | |
| Gilert said: “Our thoughts are naturally with the family of the young man at this time. They were made aware of the incident by officers as soon as possible and were assisted to attend the hospital as quickly as possible. We will continue to support them through this difficult time. We are currently investigating the death and how he obtained the substance he took. At this time the indications are that the man consumed drugs immediately before before he collapsed. A report will be sent to the coroner in due course.” | |
| The dance act Disclosure headlined the main stage of the three-day festival on Saturday night, with US rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers due to close proceedings later on Sunday. | |
| Gilert added: “I would though like to take this opportunity to remind anyone attending the festival that there is no safe way to take drugs. Taking any illegal drug carries a risk to health and we would always advise people against it, but I would ask that people are particularly conscious of the risks following this young man’s death. In partnership with the organisers, Festival Republic, we will continue to take action against those who risk the lives of others by supplying drugs. Anyone who has any concerns for either themselves or others at the festival should contact festival site or security staff or seek medical assistance.” | |
| A crackdown on drugs at Creamfields festival in Daresbury, Cheshire, led to 24 people being arrested in the first 24 hours of the gates opening. 22 arrests were on suspicion of dealing and two people were held on suspicion of drugs possession, Cheshire police said. | |
| Police are awaiting the results of a postmortem examination of a 26-year-old man from Cornwall who died at the festival on Friday night. | |
| The 17-year-old’s death at Leeds festival comes after a series of drug scares involving children as young as 12 over the summer. Last month a 13-year-old boy was hospitalised after swallowing a tablet nicknamed “magic”. In June three 12-year-old girls were hospitalised after swallowing ecstasy “teddy tablets” at Salford Precinct shopping centre. One of the girls fell into a coma after ingesting three of the tablets apparently believing they were sweets. Two days later, two 13-year-olds in north Manchester fell ill after taking ecstasy. |