A Metro investigation has revealed that foreign gangs are selling DIY kits for synthetic cannabinoids, known as spice, on TikTok and Instagram, despite a substantial rise in related deaths. This trend is increasingly prevalent among schoolchildren, as these kits facilitate local production of the dangerous drug.

Marshall Leese, 32, hijacked an ambulance containing an elderly patient in Stoke-on-Trent on 25 March, driving through red lights while under the influence of monkey dust. He was sentenced to 21 months after pleading guilty to false imprisonment and aggravated vehicle taking at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.