CHESHIRE Police will have plain clothes officers stationed in nightlife hotspots across the county this weekend in response to concerns over drink spiking.

A spate of such incidents has been reported nationally in recent weeks.

And the force says that both plain clothes and uniformed officers will be on patrol in ‘key areas’ tonight and Saturday as a result.

They will be ‘on the lookout for anyone intent on causing trouble or harm and providing advice and support to revellers’.

A ‘small number of spiking incidents’ have been reported in Cheshire over the past few weeks.

Chief inspector Mike Ankers said: “Going on a night out should be an enjoyable experience, and we are doing all we can to ensure that everyone stays as safe as possible in Cheshire.

“We are taking positive action to address issues such as spiking which has been highlighted as an area of concern recently, and we continue to work closely alongside our partners in licensing and the local authority sharing any information and concerns raised to us by the public.

“The policing presence that we will have in place will not only provide extra reassurance for those on a night out, but it will also address any issues of bad behaviour and hold people to account if they are behaving in a way which is unacceptable.

“If anyone has any concerns, do not hesitate to approach one of our officers – we are here to help you.

“No-one should be a victim of spiking – everyone should be able to enjoy a night out without having to worry about how others could potentially behave.

“We have had a small number of reports of spiking across the county – each report is thoroughly investigated and every line of enquiry will be pursued.

“I can’t emphasise enough the importance of reporting a potential spiking as quickly as possible so that officers can carry out vital tests and gather the best evidence possible.

“This also helps us to build a picture of areas where this type of crime is taking place and to speak with licensing teams to address this.

“Most importantly, it takes the perpetrators off our streets – they are not welcome in Cheshire.”