DETECTIVES will have to wait a week for the results of tests on suspected contaminated Ecstasy tablets which put two people in hospital.

A 23-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man were rushed into intensive care after they were found collapsed at a Southampton hotel.

The couple were staying at the Highfield House Hotel when staff became aware that the woman had collapsed in a room and a man had become ill outside.

They contacted Hampshire Ambulance and the police who arrived on the scene about midday on Saturday.

As previously reported, paramedics took the man from Staffordshire and woman who is from Cheltenham to Southampton General Hospital where they were admitted to intensive care.

Police sealed off the hotel and launched an investigation.

The pair were discharged from Southampton General Hospital yesterday after doctors gave them the all-clear.

Officers investigating the incident say that they will have to wait a week for forensic tests on the pills to be returned.

Det Insp Dave Morgan said: "We are fast tracking the tests through, but we expect it to be seven days before any results come back.

"Their exact chemical breakdown is unknown but it is possible that these tablets are a bad batch and we would ask regular and habitual users of Ecstasy to exercise additional caution in their use."

He confirmed that there had been no other reported cases of contaminated drugs in the city since the incident took place.

Following the incident uniformed and plain clothed officers from the force drugs squad were seen examining a silver BMW, searching the boot and front passenger areas before it was towed away for further examination.

Forensic officers also spent Saturday afternoon at the Highfield Lane hotel and were seen examining a small pool of blood in the car park in front of the brick fronted hotel which remained cordoned off with police tape.

One hotel guest told the Daily Echo how he aleted staff after he noticed a man who appeared to be unwell sitting on ground outside the 71-room hotel.

Oliver Godbold, 23, from Tunbridge Wells was in Southampton attending a charity ball with friends. He said: "We were just on our way to the pub when we noticed a man just sitting on the floor rocking backwards and forwards he looked really high and spaced out. He didn't even notice us as we walked past.

"We alerted the hotel to call the ambulance."

Another couple who were staying at the hotel but who did not want to be identified said they had returned in the afternoon to find the hotel surrounded by police tape.

The guests from Ashbourne in Derbyshire said: "We came back from the pub and saw all the police cars and ambulances. We were just wandering what had happened, but we are not concerned for our safety or anything like that."

A statement from Highfield House said the £60 a night hotel remained open and that staff were co-operating fully with the investigation.

"We can confirm that an incident took place today at the Highfield House Hotel in which both police and ambulance were called out to.

"We are currently helping police with their inquiries as our guests' wellbeing and personal care is of utmost importance."

Anyone with information regarding this incident are asked to contact Det Sgt Paul Gelman or Det Cons Mick Ellis on 0845 045 4545.