LISTEN: Mum speaks out on dangers of ketamine after son's tragic death

The mum of a young man who died after becoming addicted to ketamine says she does not want another family to suffer.

Claire Bates' son Archie Fotheringham, 20, lost his life in December 2024 after prolonged use of the drug.

Claire has now joined forces with Lancashire Police hoping to raise awareness of the dangers of ketamine.

She joined Detective Inspector Adie Knowles on our 'Beyond the Beat' feature on Beyond Radio, to talk about Archie and the police's campaign Operation Shore.

LISTEN to Claire Bates and Adie Knowles

Claire Bates

"I had absolutely no idea until he came and sat in my kitchen and said: 'Mum, I'm an addict'," said Claire, from Morecambe.

"I didn't believe it. I said no, you can't be.

"I asked him what he was taking and he said ketamine. I'd never heard of it, apart from it being a drug they used in hospitals and a horse tranquiliser.

"He cried, he sat and cried in my kitchen, and said he was so sorry, and he wanted to come off it. I said I'd help him, which I did, as best I could.

"(But) it got worse and worse. We tried to find help from a couple of places, but it's not easy to find if you don't know where to look. It needs to be out there more, it needs to be easier to find. More face to face, rather than on the phone, because he wouldn't take the help.

"He lost a lot of weight. He wasn't the biggest to start with but you could tell from his face.

"His eyes, I could tell when he'd taken something. His eyes would just stare.

"I did find him once on the stairs, unable to move. It was awful.

"The physical appearance of him was such a change. 

"He was always smart and it was like he'd given up on what he looked like."

Claire advised what to look for, hoping it will help family members in the same situation.

"Look at the eyes, the eyes are a big giveaway," she said.

"The weight loss. More urgency to go to the toilet, frequency, pain in the stomach. That's a big thing. Hot water bottles all the time because he had pains. 

"Before he told me (about his addiction), we were backwards and forwards to the hospital, me thinking there was something seriously wrong, and me not knowing what it was."

Claire also explained why she was speaking out as part of the police campaign.

"I don't want another family going through what we've been through.

"It's something I feel I have to do, so it hasn't been in vain. It's for Archie."

Claire said Archie, a former pupil of Morecambe Bay Academy, was "lovely" and "he would do anything for anybody".

"He had lots of different groups of friends, and one of his friends said, he was like a social butterfly. Everybody liked him.

"He liked cars, buying cars. He listened to a wide range of music. He did like Sam Smith, Billie Eilish and the older songs. One of his favourites was 'Hey There Delilah'."

Her message to families and young people was: "Parents, look out for the signs and kids, just don't do it.

"Don't give in to the peer pressure. You don't know what you're getting, but you know what it does.

"Hopefully this campaign will put it out there, what it actually does to people. And it's not just the person who's taken it, but everybody else who's involved with that person, siblings, parents and extended families. It's not nice."

Det Insp Knowles said: "I was duty DI at Lancaster on the day that we attended Archie's flat and he'd sadly passed away.

Adie Knowles

"I go to a large number of unexpected deaths, unfortunately. But I don't think I've ever been to deal with someone's passing, and something struck a chord with me (like this). Something has to be done here.

"Op Shore is our countywide operation. It's to be quite clear that if you are dealing ketamine, we will come after you - (because of) the impact that it is having on young people and that it had on Archie.

"The other element is to educate and warn people.

"There are a lot of dangerous, controlled drugs out there, but the impact that I've seen that ketamine can have, is devastating.

"The more that we can raise awareness to warn people to stay away from it, that's what we need to do.

"Support and help, there's not enough of it. But the positive is, the message is getting through. Education, the police, the NHS...we have got a problem here and we need to make it clear where that support is.

"If people come to the police and say where do we go? We will signpost you and find you that help.

"Thank you Claire for your support with this. The fact that you've got the strength to talk to us, I find that amazing. The video that Claire kindly did for us has been viewed a quarter of a million times and I hope more people get to see it.

"What Claire wants to do is protect every young person and family, so they don't have to go through the same thing."

WATCH the Lancashire Police video of Claire and Adie

Ketamine is a drug that is used legitimately for a variety of medical purposes. However, some people also abuse ketamine because of its hallucinogenic effects.

Lancashire Police said Op Shore aims to stop ketamine supply in Lancashire by relentlessly pursuing dealers and disrupting supply; and by educating children, young people, parents, and carers/guardians about the dangers and illegality of ketamine abuse.

Activity will include work with schools, colleges and youth groups to raise awareness of the risks of the drug as well as robust police activity to disrupt and prosecute those supplying ketamine.

Ketamine is a Class B drug and over recent years it has become increasingly popular, with eight times more people seeking treatment since 2015 in England and Wales, according to the Department of Health.

Users risk severe health complications including bladder and kidney issues and in some cases, use can prove fatal.

Misuse of ketamine can lead to increased heart rate and blood pressure; confusion, agitation, delirium, and disconnection from reality; memory loss; loss of the feeling of pain, which can lead to injury to you or others; serious bladder problems; severe abdominal pain and liver damage.

Dependency can lead to a cycle of using the drug to help reduce the pain that it has caused in your body, and the addiction can be very hard to break.

Lancashire Police has partnered with independent charity Crimestoppers, and with funding from police and Clive Grunshaw, the Police and Crime Commissioner, the operation has been rolled out across the county.

Det Chief Supt Derry Crorken, who is spearheading Operation Shore, said: “Ketamine use is a national issue, but we are seeing more and more local cases here in Lancashire.

"Ketamine is not a trip, it’s a trap. It’s addictive and dangerous.

"Sadly, in Lancashire as elsewhere, there has been a rise in young people particularly becoming seriously ill with bladder function problems and kidney issues and in at least one local case, a man has sadly died.

“We’ve already arrested a number of people for supplying ketamine, but it’s crucial we identify others so that we can protect local youngsters and other vulnerable people.

“That is why we’re rolling out Op Shore across Lancashire and why, in partnership with Crimestoppers, I am appealing for the public to come forward with information about those supplying and dealing ketamine in our county. In return, we will take firm action to target suspected offenders and protect our communities.”

Gary Murray from Crimestoppers said: “We know that people don’t always feel comfortable going directly to the police with information for whatever reason, but I would urge them to report to the independent charity Crimestoppers.

“People can give information to Crimestoppers anonymously via our website or by phone. Information leading to an arrest could lead to a reward of up to £1,000.”

Clive Grunshaw said: "Ketamine destroys lives and harms futures. Its devastating health consequences are well known, and I am funding this campaign because prevention and education are the most effective ways to stop people ever considering the path of ketamine use.

"By expanding Operation Shore across Lancashire, building on the strong and sustained results already seen in the east of the county, we can put early intervention at the centre of our approach. This will sit alongside firm enforcement action against the criminal gangs and drug dealers who bring ketamine and other harmful substances into our communities.

"I would urge anyone with concerns to come forward, including anonymously through Crimestoppers, as we continue working to break the supply chains that put this drug on our streets. By working together across policing, health, education and partner organisations, we can make Lancashire safer and ultimately save lives."