POLICE are pinning their hopes on a menacing cartoon hedgehog to fight the menace of drink-spiking.

Hundreds of posters featuring Spike will be distributed to pubs and clubs across Southampton in a bid to stamp out the problem.

The idea is the brainchild of Essex Police officers, whose trial scheme has been hailed a success.

Officers today launched the campaign by handing out advice posters to venues in Southampton city centre, Shirley, Bitterne and Ports-wood. Drink-spiking is difficult to detect because drugs such as GHB and Rohypnol pass quickly through the system. Victims are not exclusively women. Men have been targeted in 11 per cent of the total number of incidents reported in Southampton.

The Daily Echo has reported five allegations made by women who believe they have had drugs slipped into their drinks at pubs and clubs in the city in recent months.

The latest involved a young woman who woke up in a house full of strangers after apparently having her drink tampered with in a city nightclub.

The two posters featuring Spike will be displayed on the Night Link buses which operate late at night in Southampton.

Students will also be targeted with posters being displayed and distributed at both the Institute and University campuses, and on college websites.

Both posters are being used to issue advice and guidance on how best to look after your drink.

Tips include never leaving your drink unattended, appointing a drinks watcher, avoiding going clubbing alone and not accepting drinks from people you do not know.

Spike, who represents the hidden menace of the drink spiker, is shown putting a substance into a wine glass and he is then featured in an identity parade line-up.

Inspector Jon Snook, who leads the city police's licensing team, said: "When you take into consideration that on a typical weekend 70-80,000 people visit pubs and clubs in Southampton and we average one or two allegations of drink-spiking per month, it is still a relatively rare crime - but one incident is too many.

"We have had several incidents of drink spiking reported to us this year, and we take it very seriously.

"Fortunately, so far, no one has been assaulted as a result of having their drink spiked and prevention is our key aim.

"The Spike posters will help raise awareness and licensees are working with us to help prevent this despicable crime by clearing away unattended drinks.

"We are working together to create more pro-active measures to combat drink-spiking."