POLICE are investigating allegations by a mother-of-two that her drink was spiked in a Darlington town centre pub.

Frances Millar, 37, fell on to broken glass after becoming ill during a friend's birthday celebrations.

She cut her arm, requiring 30 stitches, and has been told by doctors she may not regain full use of the limb.

If she does not, she fears she might have to leave her job at The Grange Residential Home, in Whinbush Way.

Ms Millar, from Red Hall, Darlington, believes her drink was drugged without her knowledge by another customer at the Tanners Hall pub, in Skinnergate, on Friday, June 11.

She then went to Route 66, in King Street, and bought a bottle of lager.

As she climbed the stairs in the bar, she collapsed and fell on the bottle, leaving her with a ten-inch gash in her arm.

She was taken to hospital by ambulance and can remember nothing until she woke up in Darlington Memorial Hospital.

Doctors there took a blood sample which has been sent away for analysis.

"Because of this, not only was my night ruined, and my friend's birthday ruined, but my career might be ruined too," said Ms Millar.

"Because of the injury, I'm completely dependent on my neighbour and two sons. I don't want this to happen to anyone else."

Inspector Alan Davidson, of Darlington police, said Ms Millar had reported the incident.

"Arrangements were made yesterday to seize the closed-circuit television footage from the pub to see if there is any indication of what has taken place," he said.

"We will make an initial assessment based on that, but it will depend on the quality of the CCTV footage."

Mandy Marsh, duty manager at the Tanners Hall, said the pub had offered the CCTV tapes to police.

She said that staff were employed to patrol the pub looking out for drugs and under-age drinkers.

"We do not take responsibility for the incident, but we will help Ms Millar to find the person who did it in any way we can," she said.

Graham Rhodes, of the Roofie Foundation, which campaigns to raise awareness about drink-spiking, said: "There is a misconception that this only happens to young women.

"In fact, because of the campaigns that have been run educating younger people, it is the older generation that are more at risk."