A Harrogate woman has spoken of her ordeal after she was spiked in Harrogate town centre during an afternoon out.
A woman has spoken of her ordeal after she was spiked in Harrogate town centre during an afternoon out. The woman, who is in her 40's and wished to remain anonymous, was dining in Harrogate with her husband and two friends when she was spiked. She had stepped out for lunch last Sunday (10th October) when a few sips from her first drink left her hallucinating and later paralysed. She described the incident to Your Harrogate:
After realising something was wrong, the woman reached for her phone but found herself unable to move."We were on our way out for lunch and thought we would have one drink before going to eat - well I never made it to the restaurant because I was a mess by 3pm.
"Within ten minutes I felt weird. When people were speaking to me, I was hallucinating their words and it felt like they were repeating themselves five times."
Yet despite expressing her initial fear that she’d been spiked, the woman’s husband and friends dismissed the idea:
She was rushed to A&E and spent the next four hours attached to a drip whilst doctors tried to rule out a heart attack. It was later discovered she had been drugged with THC - the main psychoactive compound in cannabis. She added:"They, quite rightly on a Sunday afternoon, said there was no way I'd been spiked and put it down to being dehydrated or drinking my drink too quick.
"It was then that I decided in my own head that I was having a brain haemorrhage or a stroke. I literally couldn’t speak."
The woman was able to speak - albeit slurring her words - after four hours and was sent home to rest. And now she's urging other woman to be vigilant when out in Harrogate. She said:"I could see my arm and leg were fitting on my left side but I couldn’t stop them.
"I could hear them putting the heart attack ECG on me and them planning to scan my brain.
"It was one of the scariest experiences I’ve ever had as I thought I was either genuinely dying or having a heart attack."
"I still don’t feel fully 'normal' but today (Thursday) is the first day that I’ve felt up to talking about it.Your Harrogate reached out to the establishment involved who are currently assisting police with their enquiries. What should I do if I think my drink has been spiked? If you feel you might have been spiked, tell someone you completely trust immediately according to the NHS. If you aren't with anyone, call someone you trust and get to a safe place. Ask to use a phone if yours has been stolen. If you need urgent help, call 999. Be wary of accepting help from a stranger and don’t leave with someone you don’t know. Find out more about what to do if you fear you or someone you know has been spiked via the NHS website here. Read more local stories from Your Harrogate here."The nurse said that it’s happening every week. I’m worried that people aren’t reporting it."
Man dies in HGV collision that causes closure of A1(M)
Former primary school near Ripon set to become a nursery
Everything you need to know about Harrogate Spring Flower Show
Yorkshire Glamping Festival 'Glampfest' returns to Knaresborough
Police seek man following fraud incident at Sainsbury's in Harrogate
Theakston's Brewery continues cricket sponsorship for 15th season
Yorkshire author struck twice by cancer to take part in charity 'Walk for Yorkshire'
Young volunteers needed for library reading challenge
Cold Bath Road restaurant asks for outdoor seating until 11pm
Northern trains named among least reliable in UK
Video game festival is coming to Harrogate
Harrogate vet to launch 24-hour emergency service
Hampsthwaite Village Room to reopen after £100,000 refurb
A1(M) between Boroughbridge and Harrogate closed following collision
Knaresborough pop-up museum becomes permanent following community fundraiser
You're hired! Ashville pupils in the business of winning
Supercar Sunday set for return to Ripon hotel
Empty Harrogate bar unit could finally have a new tenant
Jespers of Harrogate manager celebrates 30th anniversary
Harrogate named among UK's best shopping destinations
