Licensing chiefs to debate safety of liquid nitrogen cocktail

A young councillor and licensing chief in a city where a teenager needed an operation to remove her stomach after consuming a cocktail containing liquid nitrogen has said that he has also tried the drink.

By The Newsroom

Published 9th Oct 2012, 07:00 BST

Gaby Scanlon, 18, became breathless and developed severe stomach pain after having the drink in Oscar’s wine bar during a night out with friends in Lancaster city centre on Thursday. She was taken to Lancaster Royal Infirmary where medics were forced to perform emergency surgery to remove her perforated stomach.

Miss Scanlon, from Heysham, remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition, Lancashire Police said.

Paul Aitchison, chairman of Lancaster City Council’s Licensing Act Committee, said he tried the Nitro Jagermeister drink at the same bar a few months ago.

Mr Aitchison, 20, said: “I didn’t have an adverse reaction to it. Unfortunately Gaby has and my heart goes out to her and I hope that she gets better.” The committee will be discussing the issue, he said, adding: “I am pretty sure that there will now be a national debate on the safety of liquid nitrogen.”