Police have encouraged anyone who believes their drink may have been spiked in Watford to come forward after claims several young women were targeted.

A Facebook post shared more than 2,000 times alleges four women had their drinks spiked during a night out in town on Saturday, July 24.

One of the women, according to the post, lay seriously ill on a pavement for one-and-a-half hours.

It reads: "One of my daughter’s friends was out with her friend last Saturday in Watford and had her drink spiked.

"She lay 1 1/2 hours on the pavement before the ambulance arrived.

"Her heart had stopped at one point and her friend had to resuscitate her.

"Three girls had been spiked in Watford that night that we know of."

The post added: "Please, please take extra care girls when you are out. These awful crimes have also left their friends, who weren’t spiked traumatised."

To spike a drink means to put alcohol or drugs into someone's drink without their knowledge or permission.

Two women commented on the post claiming similar experiences on the same night, with one claiming she ended up in A&E.

The Watford Observer has contacted the latter for more information.

However, a Hertfordshire Constabulary spokesman said officers have received no reports of drink spiking but stressed they take that sort of allegation "very seriously".

The ambulance service said it could not find reports matching the post’s description, and a Watford General Hospital spokesperson said no one in the Emergency Department has any knowledge of such incidents.

A Watford Borough Council spokesperson said its community safety team was also unaware of the reports.

The Herts police spokesman said: "Local officers work closely with licensed premises to ensure that everyone can have a safe and enjoyable night out in Watford.

"At this moment in time, police have not been made aware of any recent incidents of suspected drink spiking occurring in the town.

"We take allegations of this nature very seriously.

"If you believe you may have been a victim, or have information about any suspected incidents, it is vitally important that you officially report this to police so that enquiries can be carried out."