A MAN thought to have taken so-called ‘legal highs’ climbed a tree after running away from emergency services, police said.

The 26-year-old had been acting strangely and saying he felt unwell outside a shop, police said.

Police are warning of the dangers about legal highs after three other men in the area were also taken to hospital.

The man who climbed the tree, in Bexendale Road, Chichester, did not hurt himself and was arrested on suspicion of damaging the shop in Millfield Close.

He has been bailed until November 7. On the same day two men, both 19, were taken to hospital in Bognor after being taken ill at a property in Stocker Road. They have been discharged.

Police said another man was also taken to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester and discharged.

Detective Inspector Dave Grover said: "We believe all of these men may have taken some type of legal high which made them all very unwell.

“We urge people to take caution as legal highs often have great health risks. Just because a substance is legal to possess, it doesn't mean it's safe.

“In addition, other damaging health issues have been experienced including paranoid states, psychosis, hallucinations, comas and seizures.”

Legal highs are typically chemicals that are illegal for human consumption and often sold as room freshener or other guises to get around the law.

Often they have not been classified under drugs laws because new types are constantly being created and the law struggles to catch up, not because they are safe.