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People are being urged to learn how to tell if someone has been spiked and what to do about it ahead of the Christmas party season.

Spiking, when someone gives another person alcohol or drugs without their knowledge or consent, is illegal, but almost one in four (23%) of 18 to 43-year-olds told a survey it had "definitely" happened to them.

In a poll of 2,000 people across the UK for St John Ambulance's new Switch on to Spiking campaign, the figure rose to nearly half (41%) when those who believed they had "possibly" been spiked were added.

The charity wants people to learn "spiking first aid" so they can spot the signs of spiking, such as feeling drunk or drowsy, being "out of it" or more drunk than expected, mental confusion, slurred speech, memory loss, loss of inhibitions, nausea, vomiting and breathing problems.

Muscle spasms or seizures, loss of consciousness or a severe hangover after drinking little or no alcohol are also possible.

As well as keeping victims safe, making sure they aren't alone and telling bar staff and police, victims should be kept hydrated by encouraging them to drink water little and often, St John said.

If someone becomes unresponsive, others should put them in the recovery position and call an ambulance.

Members of the public should also know how to do CPR in case somebody stops breathing.

The organisation's medical director, Dr Lynn Thomas, called spiking an "awful crime" and said recognising its symptoms "will help protect victims from further harm".

She said: "Staying with a spiking victim, monitoring them and being ready to give first aid could save their life.

"We're urging people to equip themselves with that knowledge."

Spiking is already illegal, but Labour has said it will make giving someone alcohol or drugs, without them knowing or agreeing, a specific criminal offence.

Police get more than 550 reports of spiking on average every month, according to research published last December, but there is a feeling that it is under-reported.

Eve Adams was 19 when she was spiked at a club in Chester on a night out with her twin sister, Lauren. She ended up in hospital.

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She said: "I felt like I had been hit by a bus. Every muscle in my body ached. It was so incredibly painful. I had brain fog.

"The headache lasted for weeks, like a never-ending hangover. I was still being sick three days later.

"I don't know what happened that night. I question myself if I was just drunk, but I know deep down I wasn't and everyone around me knows I wasn't."