A DOG owner is warning people to be on their guard after his Jack Russell ate drugs discarded on the seafront.

Symond Lawes said five-year-old Paddy suffered convulsions and became lethargic following the incident in Brighton on Tuesday morning.

She needed urgent veterinary treatment and had to be kept in overnight before being allowed home.

The dog is now recovering well but Mr Lawes, 50, from Hove, said he wanted other people to be aware of the potential dangers.

He said: “Paddy had been her usual happy energetic self on her beachfront walk.

“We stopped for a coffee along by the beach volleyball court opposite the Grand Hotel and within about half an hour I noticed she was convulsing, almost like hiccups,

“I put her on my lap and she seemed to collapse and became completely lethargic and non-reactive.

“I carried her quickly back along the beach, putting her down on Hove Lawns. She wanted to play ball but was very disorientated. It became obvious to me that it could be a drug situation.

“Paddy was taken in for treatment at a vet, where she was unresponsive to light and various tests were carried out.

“She was immediately put on an intravenous drip, then transferred to an emergency treatment centre.

“It’s unclear what the drugs were but she is a fussy eater and I think it might have been some sort of hash cake or drug-mixed biscuit because she wouldn’t have taken a pill or powder from the floor.”

Mr Lawes said he was concerned that children might have picked up the drug,

He said: “It was bad enough it was my dog but there are loads of children and families using the seafront and any of them could have found it. Luckily she is OK but I think people need to be aware of the potential dangers.

“It’s just so irresponsible. Someone has gone to the seafront and just left the drugs lying about without thinking of the potential damage it could have caused.

“I’m also concerned the area appeared to not have been cleaned up properly afterwards, particularly at such a busy time of year.”

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said he could not comment on the incident but added: “Over the Pride weekend, Cityclean staff were out in force working around the clock to keep the city clean.

“It’s the busiest weekend of the year for the refuse, recycling and street cleaning staff. They worked in shifts day and night over the weekend, from 5am on Saturday and finishing at around 2am on Monday.

“Extra staff were employed to work over the weekend and additional rubbish bins installed along the route of the procession. A team of street cleaners followed the procession to clear rubbish.

“The council’s staff collected over 187 tonnes of rubbish from the streets and litter bins, the most they have ever collected and 40 tonnes more than last year. It’s the equivalent of nearly 19 dust-cart loads. The clean-up finished with jet washing streets and pavements.

“Over the summer period we hire 20 more street cleaners and put in place more litter bins for the busy seafront and area.”