YOUNG people and children are putting themselves at risk of harm inhaling a gas supposed to be used in medicine and catering.

The warning comes after police found 36 discarded ‘laughing gas’ cannisters in a village play park. While not illegal, taking the gas, formally known as nitrous oxide, can result in the user taking risks and being exposed to danger.

The empty containers were found in Cotford St Luke at around 10 pm one night when police responded to reports of anti-social behaviour.

An Avon and Somerset force spokesman said: “They were noisy and playing music on their phones. We arrived and there was no-one there.

“There were empty nitrous oxide cans which were cleared.”