'˜He said it tasted awful': Mum speaks out after schoolboys '˜taste' powder they thought was cocaine

RECKLESS schoolchildren who ingested a white powder they '˜thought was cocaine' have sparked a police probe after one of them was taken to hospital.
Park Community School, in Havant, where pupils took the mysterious white powder. Image: GooglePark Community School, in Havant, where pupils took the mysterious white powder. Image: Google
Park Community School, in Havant, where pupils took the mysterious white powder. Image: Google

The pair took the mystery substance in between lessons at Park Community School, in Middle Park Way, Havant, after being shown it by a third child.

But after the boys – both believed to be 12 – took the powder, they panicked and ran to the school nurse to admit their actions.

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One of the pupils was taken to hospital as a precaution, police said, with a spokeswoman adding the substance was not believed to have been an illegal drug.

Hampshire police has launched a probe into the incident, which happened on Thursday, February 1.

The mother of one of the children has since taken to social media to warn other parents.

The woman, who The News is not naming, said her son had been told by friends the powder was cocaine and tried it in a moment of madness to see if his friend was telling the truth.

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She said: ‘He said it tasted awful and his tongue went numb.

‘He took himself and his friend to the toilets to wash out their mouths.

‘(He) went back to the other lad, took the (powder) and ran to medical room to tell them what they done and gave them the substance.

‘My son was more concerned for his friend and believe me he won’t be so stupid to do something like that again.’

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A police spokeswoman said: ‘It is believed that two pupils took what they were told was cocaine. One of the children was taken to hospital as a precaution but suffered no ill effects.

‘We would like to reassure the community that the powder seized has been tested’ and we can confirm that it is not a controlled drug.’

Police cannot confirm what the powder is. An investigation into the situation has been launched to find out how the children came in possession of the mysterious substance.

The news has outraged the former mayor of Havant, Councillor Faith Ponsonby, who is urging residents in the town to support police.

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Speaking on the danger of drugs, the Liberal Democrat said: ‘People who lead and tempt youngsters into drugs should be treated with the utmost punishment and force of the law.’

A statement from the school, released on its Facebook page, said: ‘On February 1, a Year 7 boy brought a small packet containing white powder onto the site.

‘Before staff were aware, he had shown two friends in Year 7 the packet and claimed that this was cocaine.

‘The friends tasted a small amount of the unknown substance. Very quickly staff became aware and the packet was confiscated.

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‘The police were informed, the three students were taken to our school nurse in the school’s medical room and parents were informed and advised to take students to A&E.’

It added: ‘We take any suggestion that drugs have been brought onto the school site very seriously. We do involve the police and punishments are in line with our behaviour policy.

‘As a school the dangers of drugs are covered as part of our wider curriculum and we recognise the role of parents and the community to help inform young people.’