HOME secretary Amber Rudd has pledged to tackle the blight of a super-strength drug which is thought to be linked to the deaths of seven people in Barnsley.

Police said at least 60 people have died in the UK in the last eight months after taking the strong painkiller fentanyl, which has been found mixed with - and is about 50 times stronger than - heroin.

It’s the same drug which has been linked to the death of the American singer Prince, and this week Ms Rudd pledged to tackle the ‘terrible blight’ before it causes a crisis like it has in America, where the drug kills thousands every year.

Barnsley Central MP Dan Jarvis has raised his own concerns, after the drug was linked to seven deaths which occurred across Barnsley in less than three weeks in Aprl and May.

Those deaths are being investigated by officials from Public Health England who have warned heroin users to be 'extra careful'.

Mr Jarvis said: "The police are conducting a criminal investigation and following a number of lines of enquiry. The full weight of the law needs to be brought against the person or persons responsible.

"The Barnsley Alcohol and Drugs Advisory Service offers advice and support and can be contacted on 779066, or people can self-refer to Barnsley Substance Misuse team on 4358601."

West Yorkshire Police is leading on the investigation alongside officers from South Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Humberside and Cleveland, and held a press conference in Wakefield on Tuesday.

Officers warned that heroin and other class A drugs were being laced with synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

Det Supt Pat Twiggs, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "People are playing Russian roulette with their lives by taking this stuff, that's why we would strongly recommend to the drug-using community to stay away from it."