PART of the Alexandra Hospital had to be evacuated on Friday after a fast evaporating narcotic which sends people to sleep was spilt in the pharmacy department.

Four fire crews were called to the hospital at about 3.30pm to deal with the spillage of the drug used as an anaesthetic, called Isoflurine.

An incident support unit was also called, along with an environmental unit from Stourport.

Fire crews, who wore breathing apparatus, put down absorbent mats to soak up the spillage and used large fans to ventilate the area.

A spokesman for Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Alexandra Hospital, said: "The chemical was a volatile liquid used as an anaesthetic. When it was spilt, it would have evaporated and then sent people around it to sleep, which is why we had to call in the fire brigade.

"The area around the pharmacy and the officers above were all evacuated. No patients had to be evacuated."

The spokesman added: " The fire crews were very efficient. It took about 40 minutes in total to deal with the spillage and we were very pleased all the protocols and procedures were followed as they should have been in an event of that nature."

However, the spokesman said procedures were being reviewed following the accidental spillage.