A nightclub full of Freshers in Bournemouth was evacuated after an irritant was sprayed on the dancefloor.
Forty people were treated by paramedics and the nightclub was evacuated after reports that what was suspected to be tear gas had been released inside the venue.
Dorset Police said students complained of shortness of breath and itchy eyes following the incident at Cameo nightclub in Bournemouth.
Forty people were treated by paramedics and the nightclub was evacuated after reports that what was suspected to be tear gas had been released inside the venue in Bournemouth
One person was taken to hospital as a precaution, the force said, while there were reports of students having coughing fits outside of the venue.
Josh Wilde, a journalism student at Bournemouth University, told the Mirror: ‘The last time I spoke to the police they didn’t seem to know any more than I did.
‘They were dealing with people as they came out if they were presenting symptoms, or passing them onto the paramedics.
‘I spoke to a police officer and some sort of canister had been let off inside the venue.’
One person was taken to hospital as a precaution, the force said, while there were reports of students having coughing fits outside of the venue
He added: ‘There were people being taken into an ambulance or taken away for further examination. A lot of people were coughing or having breathing difficulties – certainly the people who were in the middle of it.
‘The club advertised it as a major night and sold out all their tickets, so I would say there was at least 3,000 people there.’
One clubber said there was a ‘strong smell’ in the club and many people were ‘coughing and holding their noses’.
A spokesperson for Cameo Bournemouth described the incident as a ‘senseless act’.
They said: ‘This was a senseless act which ruined an otherwise great evening.
‘The safety of our customers is always our main priority and we quickly brought the situation under control and evacuated the club.
‘We hope everyone involved feels better today and will be working closely with the police to make sure the offender is caught.
‘Thorough checks have been carried out and we will be open as usual tonight..’
A police spokeswoman said: ‘At 2am today, Dorset Police received a report that some type of irritant, possibly CS spray, had been released within the Cameo nightclub on Fir Vale Road, Bournemouth.
‘Following a decision by management of the premises to evacuate, around 40 people were treated by the ambulance service for minor effects.’
Police said an investigation remains ongoing, but added that no evidence was found during a search of the venue of any chemical or noxious substance that posed an ongoing risk to the public.