AN investigation has been launched after a drugs trial had to be abandoned for the day when two barristers sitting near heroin and crack cocaine exhibits fell ill.

The drugs were lying in sealed packets on an exhibits table at York Crown Court in front of barrister David Williams when he complained of feeling unwell just before lunchtime, according to a court official.

The court rose for lunch hoping Mr Williams would have recovered after an hour's break.

But when the case restarted, fellow barrister Taryn Turner, who was also sitting in front of the table, complained of feeling ill, said the official.

At least one solicitors' clerk, sitting behind the barristers, also complained of feeling unwell.

The Recorder of York, Judge Paul Hoffman, adjourned court for the rest of the day.

The drugs packets were removed from court and both barristers recovered overnight. The next day, the trial on heroin and cocaine charges proceeded without problems.

The Press understands that the cause of the mystery illness has not been established.

Taryn Turner, the next day, said she had seen the doctor the previous evening and was now feeling fine. The solicitor's clerk said there had been a smell in the air and she had felt unwell on the Thursday. She said that both barristers were sitting at the table where the drugs were.

But a North Yorkshire police spokesman said today that the drugs were double-bagged and heat-sealed, and the packaging was intact when they left court.

Today Rob Turnbull, chief Crown prosecutor for North Yorkshire, said of the incident, which happened last week: "Now that I have been made aware of this we will look into it. We have a duty to ensure that there is no risk posed to barristers or indeed juries during court cases." He said the packages contained crack cocaine and heroin. They were 83 per cent pure cocaine and 36 per cent pure heroin, but it was not known what else the substances contained.

He said the prosecution barrister in the case, Jayne Beckett, who sat farthest away from the drugs packages, had not felt ill.

He added that two defendants, Alan Eustace and Christine Matthews, from the Scarborough area, who were both accused of possessing drugs with intent to supply, were convicted, and the cases were adjourned to a later date for pre-sentence reports.

A Bar Council spokeswoman said she believed such an incident would be unique.