HEALTH officers have issued an urgent warning to anyone who may have bought a potentially lethal batch of vodka.

The one litre bottles of Original Vodka Russia Export Quality was made in Belgium and has the batch code Lo958 and bar code 5414145035066.

Some bottles have been found to contain high levels of methanol, which can cause abdominal pain, drowsiness and dizziness, blurred vision, leading to blindness and breathing difficulties.

Several bottles have been discovered in County Durham and a Scottish woman died after drinking the counterfeit spirit.

Sedgefield Borough Council's food safety section is investigating a suspect bottle of vodka bought by a resident while on holiday in Spain.

Anyone who thinks they may have drunk this product should seek medical attention immediately.

Anyone who has bought the product or has seen it on sale, is advised to contact Sedgefield's environmental health department urgently, on (01388) 816166, or Durham County Council trading standards, on 0191-383 3589.

Details of how to spot the counterfeit spirits are available on the Food Standards Agency website:

www.food.gov.uk/ enforcement/alerts