REPORTS of women's drinks being spiked at a Forth Valley bar over the weekend have prompted an intervention by an MSP.

MSP Evelyn Tweed has written to police chiefs in Stirling following the "very worrying" reports, which claimed a woman was spiked at Tingle Bar.

The letter was prompted by a social media post which also alleged that police officers did not act on the reports and led to a range of similar accounts being shared by various users on Twitter.

However, the police force confirmed it is looking into the incident in question and stressed all reports will be taken seriously.

A Police Scotland spokesperson told the Advertiser: "We have received a report of a drink possibly being spiked at premises in Stirling on Saturday, October 16, 2021.

"Enquiries are at an early stage and ongoing.

"We would encourage anyone with any concerns around this, or anyone who believes they may have been a victim of drink spiking, to report it to police.

"All reports will be taken seriously and investigated thoroughly."

MSP Tweed has written to Chief Superintendent Alan Gibson at Stirling to clarify issues following concerns from constituents and it is understood the force will issue a reply in due course.

In the letter, she said: "Unfortunately, these accounts have also raised concerns that Police Scotland have not acted on reports of drink spiking and I wish to clarify this."

The MSP added: "As you will be aware, Stirling has a lively night-time economy on most nights of the week, not just at weekends, and I am keen to ensure that people, particularly young women, are able to enjoy this without fear and in the full knowledge that Police Scotland will support them in the event of an incident unfortunately occurring."

In the wake of the posts, Tingle Bar has also issued a statement on social media.

It said: "We are aware of recent media reports of spiking incidents in bars and clubs around Scotland.

"Guest safety will always be paramount to us and we would like to reassure everyone that our front and back of house areas are fully covered with CCTV and we employ toilet attendants to oversee the parts we cannot monitor.

"We also operate each night with double recommended SIA [Security Industry Authority] accredited stewards and a random search policy to ensure everyone's safety.

"In a situation like this, we would always encourage you to contact the relevant authorities if you [have] any concerns.

"Contrary to recent social media discussions, we have not received any official complaints of this nature.

"We stand ready and willing to help in any way we can."