Organisers of this year’s Reading/Leeds twin event have issued a warning to festival-goers settling in for the first day today (August 24th) after ‘contaminated ketamine’ was apparently discovered onsite.
Speaking via their official Twitter page, organisers said: “Beware! There is contaminated ketamine on site. Do not bring, take or buy any drugs on site. Be safe and enjoy the great line up!”
Local paper the Yorkshire Evening Post reports cases of at least two people being taken ill after using the drugs in question at the Leeds leg, while five men aged between 18 and 25 have already been arrested on suspicion of drugs offences.
“Security checks on your way into the site will be stringent and staff are adept at finding drug stashes,” a West Yorkshire Police spokesperson has said. “The law at Leeds Festival has to be enforced, just as it would be any other part of the country.”
“Anyone found with a suspicious substance will be arrested and taken from the site while tests are undertaken to ascertain the exact nature of a powder or tablet.”
Foo Fighters will headline the Main Stage tonight in front of an entirely sober and sensible Leeds crowd, with The Cure topping the bill at Reading.