Getting high in Brum

Be careful what you drink when you are in the West Midlands.

Local criminal lawyers were invited to the region's police training centre last week to be assured about the new drug-testing procedures in police stations, which it is an offence for a defendant to refuse.

According to a mole, the police asked any of the solicitors whether they wanted to be guinea pigs.

All refused because of their scepticism of the testing procedure, so rather than try out the system on another police officer, the officer tried it on tap water.

Much to the bemusement of the officers present, Birmingham tap water tested positive for both heroin and cocaine.

The Law Society's annual conference for 2004 - to be held in the city this October - could be more eventful than normal.