YORK drinkers are being warned to avoid a potentially lethal vodka.

A 33-year-old Manchester woman was still in intensive care today with methanol poisoning after drinking the Valkonov vodka last week.

A spokesman for City of York Council said there was no indication the lethal spirit had reached York, but warned people to look out for any bottles of Imperial Volkonov vodka marked with a blue label and carrying the inscription: 'Distributed for K.M.G 57 Bogdana Khmelnitskogo Str.236039 Kalingrad, Russia for ECC.'

The woman, who has not been named, was rushed to Manchester Royal Infirmary last Tuesday after drinking the cheap vodka the previous weekend.

She had paid £6.50 for a litre bottle of the spirit, which is not a registered brand, at a convenience store near her home in Gorton, Manchester.

Police fear it may still be on sale nationwide.

The council spokesman said: "The bottle is distinctive-looking, more like one for carrying mineral water than vodka. A gold label version is being tested for methanol at present. Tests on the blue label bottle confirmed methanol was present."

Detective Inspector Colin Webb said: "This vodka has already proved it is potentially lethal.

"We have one woman who has been in intensive care for a week and is still in a serious condition in hospital.

"I cannot stress how important it is for people not to drink this vodka."

Symptoms of methanol poisoning can be delayed for several hours and can include severe abdominal pain, drowsiness, dizziness, blurred vision leading to blindness and even coma.

Updated: 10:48 Wednesday, October 02, 2002