A WORRIED mum has added her voice to claims women have been spiked while on nights out in Colchester town centre over the past week.
Helen Dunston, 68, said her two daughters, aged 42 and 27, were at a town centre bar on Saturday when her youngest collapsed.
She told the Gazette the pair were meeting friends and had agreed they would call their mum when they wanted a lift home.
Helen, who previously volunteered on Colchester’s SOS bus, said: “I was actually still up at 2am when my eldest called and said ‘Mum, you need to come to get us quickly, something is not right.’
“My younger daughter was apparently ‘like jelly’, could barely stand up and was clearly drugged.
“They hadn’t let anyone else buy them a drink, they purchased their own drinks from the bar and had only four drinks throughout the night.
“She remembered nothing of this the next day.
“Her condition was horrible and we were up with her all night, she was foaming at the mouth, she couldn’t talk and she couldn’t hold herself up.”
Essex Police officers have been informed people were taken unwell in Colchester overnight between Thursday September 2 and Friday September 3.
Read more>>>Investigation launched over fears Colchester clubbers were spiked
The force believes the victims’ drinks may have been spiked, placing them in “vulnerable” and “potentially harmful” situations.
A spokeswoman for Essex Police has now confirmed officers are taking the concerns seriously and are looking into the reports.
She said: “We are speaking with those working in licensed premises around the town centre to help ensure staff are informed, especially door staff when undertaking searches.
“If you do see anyone who may need help when you are out, please let a member for staff know.”
The investigation comes after Emma Benjamin told of how she believes her daughter was spiked.
The 39-year-old, of Shrub End, Colchester, received a concerning phone call at about 11.55pm on Thursday night.
She was told her 18-yearold daughter, Shania, had collapsed while out clubbing in a town centre bar with some of her close friends.
A police spokesman said: "We received a call on September 7 reporting two women had become unwell following a night out in Colchester on Saturday, September 4.
"The caller believes the women’s drinks had been spiked.
"Our enquiries are ongoing.
"Further to reports last week, we and Colchester Borough Council have been working with licenced premises to ensure our community can enjoy their nights out in Colchester.
"If you have any information you can submit a report online at essex.police.uk or use the 'Live Chat' button to speak to an online operator between 7am-11pm.
"Please quote incident 954 of September 7.
"You can also call us on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."
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