A quick-thinking bartender saved a girl from an ecstasy-spiked drink at a Hamilton bar on Saturday.

A man had just bought a round at the Spring Garden Restaurant when he was spotted slipping something into one of the drinks at about 2.30 a.m.

He was followed by the bartender and security guard who saw him give it to his date who they warned before calling the Police. The man was arrested as he left the popular Barbadian style hang-out in Washington Lane.

The 30-year-old man was taken to Hamilton Police Station, where he was searched and found with drugs, believed to be ecstasy and marijuana.

Spring Garden owner Victor Alleyne praised his staff for their actions.

"You have to give them credit, after they served him drinks they saw him put something into one of the drinks. They didn't tell him anything, they just followed him and saw him deliver the drink to the young lady.

"When he did they told her there was something in it and took it away to exchange it and called the Police. While they were outside explaining it to the Police the guy walked out and they arrested him.

"If it hadn't have been for security that girl would have had that drink. They didn't waste time coming to me but if they had, maybe this guy would have slipped away. Thank God the Police got him."

He said it was the first time such an incident had occurred at his bar but said a warning over drink spiking had long been posted in the womens' bathrooms. "My security knows to look for these things."

But he conceded it was difficult to keep tabs on drink spiking in a packed venue. "These youngsters who do it are ruthless, they don't care about anybody."

Police spokesman Dwayne Caines said he was searched by Police under the Misuse of Drugs Act and he had a quantity of what appeared to be illegal substances on his person, along with an amount of cash."

The man has been released on Police bail and is expected in court soon.