POLICE fear a batch of contaminated heroin could be circulating in the North-East, after two deaths on Tyneside.

Both deaths are believed to be heroin-related and detectives are investigating whether they were caused by contaminated drugs.

Northumbria Police said the body of a 22-year-old woman was found at a house in the Cruddas Park area of Newcastle, on Monday night.

They discovered the body after neighbours reported concern for her safety.

Early yesterday morning, a man was found unconscious at a house in the Kings Meadow area of the city. He was rushed to Newcastle General Hospital where he died later.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said yesterday: ''It is suspected that the woman's death is heroin-related, but it is not known whether it was the result of an overdose or a contaminated batch of drugs.

''The death of the man is also heroin-related and police are concerned that a contaminated batch of the drug may be in circulation in the area.''

Police named the dead woman as Fiona Hogg, who lived at the house where she was found.

They were not releasing details of the man until relatives have been informed.

Contaminated heroin has been responsible for the deaths of a number of addicts in the past 12 months.

Glasgow was one of the worst-hit cities, with 16 deaths.

A spokeswoman for Strathclyde Police said they had spoken to the Northumbria force about the latest deaths.

She said: ''It doesn't look like there's a link between these two deaths and those we've had in Glasgow.

"But it is impossible to rule out the possibility that the drugs are from the same source.''

Three addicts from Manchester died earlier this year but Greater Manchester Police also said they did not think there were any links with the deaths on Tyneside.

Two heroin users died in Liverpool and seven from other parts of the UK.

There have been eight deaths from contaminated heroin in Dublin