Gay venues are celebrating a successful campaign to keep out danger drugs GHB and ketamine.

Around 15 clubs and bars in Kemp Town, Brighton's gay village, have joined forces to launch a campaign against the drugs.

GHB and ketamine have caused serious problems on the London gay scene and during last year's Pride event two people almost died after taking the drugs.

Both drugs can cause users to stop breathing and pass out.

GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) can be used as a date-rape drug.

In small doses it causes an increased sexual response but users often fail to measure out a safe dose.

Ketamine is an anaesthetic that has hallucinogenic and pain-killing properties. Users often feel the world slows down.

It can cause severe vomiting and some users have choked to death on their vomit.

Under the Brighton Gay Business Forum and Sussex Police initiative, anybody found dealing or using the drugs is banned from all of Brighton's gay venues.

The campaign started before Christmas with flyers being handed to customers leaving gay venues, warning them of the ban.

Since the campaign started nobody has been caught with the drugs in any of Brighton's gay clubs, leading promotors to believe the warnings have worked.

Andrew Roberts, general manager of Club Revenge in Old Steine, said before the campaign launched he had briefed door staff and medics on how to spot people on the drugs and how to deal with them.

He said: "With everyone working together we can help Brighton's gay scene grow and make it a safer place."

Paul Kemp, the club promoter behind Wild Fruit and Sunday Sundae, said: "Thankfully we haven't had any incidents or evidence of these dangerous new drugs at Wild Fruit.

"I'm pleased this important message of the dangers of these drugs is getting out over the whole scene."