A man has died and seven others have fallen ill after taking ’contaminated’ pills

A man has died after taking what police believe was "potentially contaminated" zopiclone, a medication which is used to treat insomnia.

Cleveland Police said the man was thought to have taken pills from a possibly compromised batch of the drug, which could "cause significant illness or lead to an overdose".

It said seven other people who were believed to have taken the pills had been taken to North Tees General Hospital in Stockton-on-Tees on Friday.

Issuing a warning to drug users, the force said anyone with information about the batch of medication of "concerns about drugs in the community" should get in touch. 

The NHS describes zopiclone as a "type of sleeping pill that can be taken for short-term treatment of severe insomnia".

It also states that the medicine "is only available on prescription".