British lawyer, 28, dies after being served drinks laced with toxic substance

A British lawyer has reportedly died after being served drinks laced with a toxic substance in Laos.

Two Danish tourists, an American man and an Australian teenager also died after reportedly being offered free "Laos Tiger" vodka shots by a bar in Vang Vieng, it has been reported. Simone White, a lawyer from Orpington, Kent, also became seriously ill amid fears the drinks were laced with methanol.

It has since been reported the 28-year-old has also died. The dangerous substance, which is sometimes illegally used to dilute alcohol, can cause severe health effects, with the NHS warning even as little as 4ml could lead to visual hallucinations and blindness.

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Earlier, Simone's travel companion, Bethany Clarke, warned others in the region to "please avoid all local spirits", the Mirror reports. She said: "Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars.

"Just avoid them as so not worth it. Six of us who drank from the same place are in hospital currently with methanol poisoning."

More than 100 holidaymakers were reportedly treated to the complimentary shots at a hostel. Despite claims of drink tampering, the owner Duong Duc Toan has refuted such allegations. He told the Sun: "Right now the police [are telling] every hostel and hotel and bar to stop selling drinks in Vang Vieng."

"The police in Vang Vieng and [the capital] Vientiane already came to the hostel to check, the shop [where] we buy the vodka, check the shop [where] we buy the whisky. We don't do anything wrong, for sure. I really take care of all of the customers [who] stay with our hotel and our hostel."

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told its