YORK may be one of the country’s safest cities to enjoy a night out, but dangers are out there, even for the most vigilant. Just ask Melissa Wilkinson, whose drink was spiked the other evening.

Melissa says she is always cautious and didn’t leave her drink unattended, but somehow the spiking still occurred. ‘I think it must have been by sleight of hand,” she tells us.

The police informed Melissa that this is a more common problem than people realise and Street Angels, which helps people in vulnerable situations in the city centre, reported last November its belief in a growing risk of drink spiking in York.

Melissa was lucky. Off-duty RAF medic Paul McMahon spotted her plight and stepped in to prevent her choking by keeping her airways clear.

But she was still recovering from the incident four days later.

There is a lesson to be learned. We don’t want to sound alarmist, because York is a safe city, certainly compared to many others. But we urge everyone to be on their guard during a night out with friends.