Having your drink laced with a drug, or so-called spiked, when you are out enjoying yourself, has to be one of the most frightening experiences anyone can have.

The drugs can leave victims unable to remember a whole sequence of events and lose of memory and the ability to physically push someone away, hence the common phrase ' date-rape.'

There have been several local reports that people have been spiked and have lost all sense of what they have been doing and have been put in danger.

Nub News has been told of several instances over the past few months where people in a number of Midsomer Norton pubs believe that, out of view of any CCTV cameras, their drinks have been laced with drugs.

However the police, who admit that cases may have not been reported, insist that they have only had ONE case come through to them.

So they urge people who are out socialising and believe that they may have been attacked to come forward.

The lead officer told Nub News : "There have been a lot of comments on social media recently about drink spiking being a major issue in our High Streets. At this time we have only had one report of drink spiking reported to the police in Radstock as a crime in the last 6 months. 

"However, I am well aware not all crime is reported to the police so in an effort to ensure this does not become an issue the police are working closely with all the pubs and clubs in the local area and we have delivered to them Rapid Drug testing kits. "

The crime carries a potential five year sentence

The officer added: " If you or a friend feel you have had your drinks spiked then you can ask the pub staff if they have any testing kits so you can then and there establish a negative or positive result. Obviously if positive you can then seek medical attention and report the crime to the police to investigate.

" I also want to state how serious drink spiking can be – the basic offence is administering a noxious substance which has a potential prison sentence of 5 years. Drink spiking can ruin lives – take all precautions to prevent yourself from being a victim – do not take drinks from strangers and do not leave your drinks unattended. "

Date rape drugs

So-called 'date rape drugs' are drugs that have become known for their use by people who carry out spiking in order to rape or sexually assault someone. include Rohypnol, GHB and GBL. Another common drug is Ketamine which can also be traced with the kits.