A PARAMEDIC has described how a young man who had overdosed on a mix of drugs and legal highs screamed, spat, kicked, bit and even tried to eat his own vomit in a scene that reminded her of the classic horror film The Exorcist.

The 24-year-old man was violently out of control as paramedics and police struggled to deal with him in the early hours of Sunday morning in Worcester police station.

He tried to bite those trying to help him and had to be forcibly restrained to be taken to Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

Ali Vinson, a West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic, said: “He was thrashing around, screaming, attempting to bite police officers and crew, he spat several times in custody and on the hospital floor.

“He had to be full body restrained to make him safe for travel.

“On arrival at hospital he made himself sick and attempted to eat it from the floor.

“It really was like a scene from The Exorcist.

“He would laugh uncontrollably one minute followed by screaming, spitting and cursing the next.

“En route to hospital he was trying to eat the seatbelt on our stretcher.”

Paramedics were called to the police station in Castle Street at 3.35am to treat the man, who had earlier been arrested for assault in the city centre.

He initially said he had taken M-cat and cocaine but later changed his description to include the legal highs black mamba and spice.

The man was taken to hospital in an ambulance with flashing blue lights due to the seriousness of his condition but was restrained for his own safety and that of the ambulance crew.

Mrs Vinson added: “I can honestly say he is the worst case I have seen in regards to his behaviour.

“Although the police were there I genuinely felt fearful approaching him as he was so detached from reality.”

Mrs Vinson’s description of her “horror” night follows a series of warnings by police and ambulance crews that they are dealing with a growing number of problems as the number of people taking legal highs escalates in the county.

The one most commonly mentioned locally is black mamba, a form of synthetic cannabis.

Legal highs are psychoactive substances that mimic the effects of controlled drugs.

Despite being legal to buy, they are not safe to use.

Users may experience temporary highs but they can also suffer serious side effects such as seizures and comas, and they may end up with long term illnesses – both mental and physical – or even die.

West Midlands Ambulance Service has previously said it is regularly being called out to people who say they have taken the substances.

Legal highs cannot legally be sold for human consumption so they are often sold as incense, salts, or plant food to get round the law.

The man was returned to the police station after hospital treatment.