Cheshire Constabulary has launched a new county-wide campaign to tackle spiking, as local students return for freshers' week and the night-time economy heads into one of its busiest periods of the year.

The campaign coincides with the NPCC Spiking Intensification Week (15 to 21 September), a national drive to raise awareness, encourage reporting, and deter offenders.

Officers will be carrying out high visibility foot patrols in key night-time economy hot spot areas across the county to provide the public with reassurance and detect and deter criminality.

The spiking campaign coincides with the NPCC Spiking Intensification Week (15 to 21 September), a national drive to raise awareness, encourage reporting, and deter offenders (Supplied).

Officers are also working closely with venues and establishments across Cheshire to ensure that they are following the correct process if they believe a spiking incident has occurred. 

Local officers will be attending the University of Chester's welcome fair and speaking to students about staying safe, and the consequences of spiking. 

The campaign also highlights how quickly spiking can happen – sometimes in just a matter of seconds – and features a new awareness video to help people recognise the signs and know how to respond.

Alongside this, officers are supporting a range of prevention measures including:

• The deployment of safety buses in busy nightlife areas
• Testing the 'Ask Angela' scheme in pubs and clubs
• Education and prevention activity in schools and universities
• Passive drugs dog operations in the night-time economy
• Handing out preventative materials to raise awareness

Superintendent Mike Ankers, who leads on spiking for Cheshire Police, said: "We know spiking ruins nights out and can cause long-lasting harm.

"For some victims, the impact is confusion and fear; for others it can be a serious medical emergency or the start of further offences such as assault or theft.

Cheshire Police officers will be carrying out high visibility foot patrols in key night-time economy hot spot areas across the county (Cheshire Police).

"Offenders need to be clear, spiking is not a prank, it is a crime. You could face up to ten years in prison.

"While officers work hard in our night-time economy to help keep people safe, many incidents of spiking also occur at house parties.

"If you think you've been spiked, wherever it happens, report it. The quicker we know, the quicker we can act, gather evidence, and protect others."