A MAN is 'very poorly' in hospital after taking insulin which may have been sold to him.

Police in Clayton-Le-Moors have issued the warning about a number of ampoules of insulin they believe may be in circulation in the area and could prove fatal if taken by someone who is not prescribed the drug.

Officers said one man who is believed to have already taken the drug is being treated at Royal Blackburn hospital after becoming unwell.

His condition is being monitored and he is said to be making slow progress, which police believe is a cause for concern.

The drug, normally taken by people suffering from diabetes, has been offered for sale in the area this week, police said.

Police say inquiries are continuing to trace the origin of the drug. It is unclear at this stage how the man came about the drug.

Detective Inspector Andy Hulme said "One person has already been admitted to hospital and is very poorly therefore it is vitally important that people do not take this drug if it is not prescribed to them as they are likely to become extremely unwell and the consequences may prove fatal."

It is unclear how many ampoules have been in circulation, each contains 10mls of insulin.

The insulin is contained in a small glass self sealed vial of milky white liquid and may have an orange cap.

Insulin is an essential hormone which regulates body sugars.

People with type one diabetes produce inad-equate amounts of insulin, so insulin replacement is their key treatment.

Without insulin replace-ment, people with type one diabetes will see their blood sugar levels rise and the body will start to burn up its fat stores.

This leads to a condition called diabetic acidosis, which is life-threatening.

Too much insulin, on the other hand, leads to such low levels of blood sugar that it causes a condition called hypoglycaemia. symptoms include paleness, shaking, shiv-ering, perspiration, rapid heartbeat, hunger, anxiety and blurred vision.

In some cases it can cause loss of con-sciousness and conv-ulsions.

Anyone taking insulin who does not have type one diabetes will develop these symptoms.

If anyone has any information they should contact Blackburn police on 01254 51212 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.