COLCHESTER MP Will Quince praised the police for taking a “proactive approach” to tackle “disgusting” reports of drink spiking.

Mr Quince patrolled the town alongside officers on Friday during a night of action, examining the force’s mobile knife arch in Red Lion walk and visiting pubs and bars.

Speaking to the Gazette, he said Colchester has a safe night-time economy.

He said: “Add up what we’ve got. We’re a garrison town, with thousands of members of Her Majesty’s armed forces, we’ve got a university and this is a growing town with a very lively, bustling night-time economy.

“There is a recipe there for potential issues, but it is an incredibly safe town.

“That is largely down to the way the town is proactively policed, working with different agencies and the licensed businesses around the town centre.”

On spiking, Mr Quince said police in Colchester are “all over the issue and are taking the right steps”.

“It’s not just a Colchester problem, it is a nationwide problem,” he said.

“Quite frankly it is disgusting that it would enter anyone’s mind to do something so heinous.

“At a national level it has been made very clear it’s totally unacceptable and if you’re caught, you will be dealt with.

"We can’t have anything that makes people feel unsafe in our town centre, especially when people are coming out to enjoy themselves and are having a good night out, so we have to stamp down on it really hard.”

One arrest was made and a weapon was seized during Friday night’s operation.

Police officers checked 30 licensed premises in the town centre.

Two small amounts of cannabis were also seized and nine stop and search warrants were carried out.

The town centre team officers are deployed in town every Friday and Saturday and stay out until everyone has gone home.