CUMBRIAN MPs have reacted to drink spiking as a University of Cumbria event was cancelled.

Carlisle MP John Stevenson called spiking "unacceptable" while Workington MP Mark Jenkinson said the society which cancelled the event was shirking responsibility.

The University of Cumbria's Education Society cancelled a Halloween event due to fears of drink spiking and drugging cases.

The event was due to take place on October 30 but the society informed members that the event was cancelled.

Amid an increase in reports of people being spiked, particularly young women, across the UK, calls have been made for nightclubs to introduce searches for people upon entering.

Various universities and bars have urged people to take extra care when out.

Emma Bales, Director of Student Services, University of Cumbria said: “Student health, safety and wellbeing is a university’s priority with concerns taken seriously.

“We work with the Students’ Union and external partners to help provide students and others with information and guidance on staying safe, including on nights out.”

Carlisle MP John Stevenson said: "I think it’s extremely sad that the society has felt the need to cancel what should be an enjoyable and fun evening.

"I condemn the people that do this because it’s entirely unnecessary, spoils people’s enjoyment and puts people at risk.

"That is entirely unacceptable."

Mr Stevenson did not call for specific measures to be put in place, saying that it should be left to individual venues.

He said: "The difficulty is, what can you do?

"You can say to people to be careful and cautious, but why should people have to take those precautions?

"They shouldn’t be at risk in the first place."

Workington MP Mark Jenkinson said that the Education Society made the wrong decision when cancelling the event.

He said: "I think it’s ridiculous to cancel student events because of fear.

"What they should be doing is taking action to make sure that it doesn’t happen, rather than cancelling events to avoid their responsibility to do that."

Mr Jenkinson, a former pub manager further criticised the decision.

"It’s a massive claim to make about their own members, that they can’t be trusted, which is what they’re doing," he said.

"I don’t think they can make that claim without evidence that they don’t have.

"It’s a really dangerous precedent given everything that students have gone through in the last 18 months."