21/07/2010 - Health drink laced with ketamine
Two women have been left seriously ill after drinking a health drink contaminated with horse tranquilliser, it has been revealed.
An investigation has been launched into the incident, after one of the women, 60, was reportedly left in a "vegetative state".
She and another woman, in her 40s, are believed to have bought the aloe vera drink at a school fair in Leicester, and reacted badly after it was found to contain ketamine.
The two are in a satisfactory condition at Leicester Royal Infirmary, where the pair are being treated.
A spokeswoman for the Health Protection Agency said: "The HPA is advising anyone who has a bottle of this liquid not to drink it and take it to the nearest police station. If they have drunk it they should seek medical advice immediately."
The daughter of the 60-year-old woman said she thought her mother was dying after she suffered a severe reaction to the drink.
She told the Leicester Mercury: "She was basically in a vegetative state. They thought she might have bleeding on the brain. I thought, 'That's it'."
Leicestershire police said the drink was called Gayatri aloe vera.
Detectives said consumers should treat with caution any juice labelled as aloe vera which is not purple.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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