Police issue warning over 'Lego' ecstasy pills after two women fall unconscious in Manchester

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Two women have fallen ill after taking a type of ecstasy known as “Lego”, sparking new warnings from police.

The party drug was sold in the shape of a red toy brick at a nightclub in Manchester city centre on Friday night.

Two 21-year-old women from Stockport fell unconscious after taking the pills and were taken to hospital by ambulance in the early hours of Saturday morning.

A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said they told paramedics they had taken the class A drug after regaining consciousness.

One of the women has been discharged but the other was still undergoing treatment.

Police are advising anyone who was taken “Lego” to seek urgent medical attention.

“These women are very lucky. I’m happy to be saying that they should make a full recovery, but the reality is, I could easily have been giving my condolences to their families instead,” Detective Inspector Brian Morley said.

It comes after a 17-year-old girl collapsed and died after taking another type of ecstasy known as “Mastercard” at a club in Trafford on Monday.

A man and a woman, aged 19 and 20, have been arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.

Det Insp Morley said he hoped the tragedy would serve as a warning that people could not know what they are taking and how it will affect them.

"We don’t believe that Greater Manchester has an increasing problem with these so called ‘party drugs’ but obviously our young people are not taking the advice they’re offered,” he added.

"Let this be a warning to anyone supplying Class A drugs to young party goers. You might tell yourself you are helping people to have a good time, you are not.

"You are changing lives, and in the worst possible way. The full force of the law will be brought down on you.

"To those thinking about taking these drugs – They are illegal for a reason. I don’t want to have to repeat this statement next weekend, or ever for that matter. Think of the bigger picture, are the potential consequences really worth it?”

Ecstasy, also known by its chemical name MDMA, is rarely pure and can sometimes be cut with potentially fatal additional drugs like PMA.

Between 1996 and 2014, almost 700 ecstasy-related deaths were recorded in England and Wales and the drug can also cause dehydration, overheating, liver, kidney and heart problems according to the government's advisory service.