Clubbers warned over rogue 'ecstasy'

The party ended in tragedy, with one dead

Police have issued an urgent warning to clubbers after one man died and two others were left critically ill by a batch of contaminated tablets.

Detectives said a number of people from the SE1 club under London Bridge - or in its vicinity - fell ill on Saturday night and are urging anyone who took "substances" to seek urgent medical attention.

Bret Gilkes, 20, from the Birmingham area, died on Sunday morning after being taken to St Thomas's Hospital.

If you have taken drugs and you feel unwell you should seek urgent medical attention

Superintendent Wayne Smith

Two 19-year-old men are in critical condition in hospital and up to six others have attended hospitals with health concerns.

A man has been arrested in connection with the incident and is being questioned at a south London police station.

Superintendent Wayne Smith said: "If you have drugs and haven't taken them you should hand them into the police. Your actions may save lives."

A spokesman added: "It is not our intention to prosecute anyone for possession of these controlled drugs.

"This is to encourage people to speak freely with us, to trace the origins of the contaminated batch."

The event was called "Raindance" and was billed as an indoor rave festival celebrating the summer solstice.

According to its website, Raindance started 10 years ago and was the first legal, fully licensed all night event in the UK.

It was first held in a field in east London and moved to several venues before arriving at The Drome in 1999, now called SE1.