A GROUP of eight Lithuanian fruit pickers needed medical treatment after apparently taking legal highs.

They called the ambulance service complaining of heart problems and of being hot and sweaty, although their condition was not life threatening.

The group, aged from their 20s to a woman in her 50s, told police that one of them had bought items in the Hush legal high shop in Bridge Street, Taunton, and mixed it into a cake they baked.

A rapid response car and two ambulances rushed to a property in West Newton after receiving a 999 call and police were then alerted by the ambulance service.

A South Western Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “We got the call to West Newton at 4.05pm to some people who had possibly eaten something and were said to be suffering with heart problems and were hot and sweaty.

“We sent two ambulances and an officer along and we took eight people into Musgrove Park Hospital to be checked over.

“The officer – (a paramedic who acts in a liaison capacity where there is more than one patient) – took one in his rapid response car.”

Insp Bob Muckett said police records showed a number of people were taken to Musgrove, while another visited his GP.

He added: “One person had, we believed, attended Hush and obtained some material which they baked into a cake.

“As a result of consuming that they became ill, shaking and with breathing difficulties.

“Police are aware of the incident and are investigating exactly what happened.”

Insp Muckett is advising people not to take legal highs.

He said: “They are being sold with the tacit understanding that they are safe to ingest.

“I recommend following the warning on the packet which says the substances are harmful if ingested.”

Hush did not respond to the Gazette’s request for a comment.