Mum's heartbroken warning to parents ahead of Glastonbury after watching son die

A heartbroken mum is warning festival-goers to be vigilant after her 16-year-old son died after a rave. Fiona Spargo-Mabbs is sharing the harrowing tale of her son's tragic death as a stark warning to those planning to attend Glastonbury and other summer festivals or parties.

Her son, Dan, tragically passed away in 2014 after consuming a lethal dose of MDMA at a rave, which caused his body temperature to skyrocket past 42 degrees Celsius and led to the gradual shutdown of his organs. He drew his last breath in a hospital bed, surrounded by his parents, Fiona and Tim Spargo-Mabbs, and his elder brother Jacob.

Dan had convinced his mum to allow him to attend a party with friends, but instead, he ended up at an illegal rave - his first such event. Unbeknown to him, the bag of MDMA he shared with four friends, who were unharmed, contained a deadly amount.

He vanished from his friends' view during the night, only to be found later propped up outside with paramedics before being rushed to A&E. By this point, the concentration of MDMA in his bloodstream was 12 times higher than levels previously associated with fatalities, as his mum revealed to The Sun.

Following a swelling in his legs that required procedures to avoid possible amputation, machines at King's College Hospital Liver Unit were used to support the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, and circulatory system functions of this roofer. Despite their best efforts, Dan died just days later.

Fiona explained that while they were aware of the prevalence of teenage drug use, Dan was always the more "curious" sibling but generally "managed risk quite well". It was only later that they learned it was the "third time he had taken anything" and that he had been "reluctant" to attend the rave in the first place.

In the ten years since this devastating incident, Fiona and Tim have started the DSM Foundation in honour of their son to educate parents, teachers and children on the dangers of drugs and alcohol. With recent reports indicating a rise in super-strength ecstasy pills containing dangerously high levels of MDMA, their campaigning efforts are becoming even more crucial.

These reports come from The Loop, a drug charity that carried out tests on substances confiscated at Manchester's Parklife Festival in Bristol. Some of the pills tested contained up to 300mg of MDMA, which is three times the typical adult dosage and can potentially be lethal.

The charity, along with Dan's parents, are raising the alarm for festivalgoers who might not be aware of the heightened potency of these new super-strength pills. They're also calling on parents to engage in frank discussions with their kids about the dangers, to better prepare them for any risks they might encounter.

Fiona expressed her concerns, saying: "I am concerned because it puts especially young, inexperienced users, or anybody to be honest, at risk." She is urging parents to "work through scenarios" with their children and make sure they're aware of where to find help at festivals.

And most importantly: "Make sure that they know that they can always call you. If anything is going haywire, parents need to make sure they are there at the end of a phone and ready to pick them up if they need to get away."

For those attending festivals, Fiona highlighted the importance of staying hydrated and recommended carrying "a big water bottle" She also warned against taking substances from strangers, explaining: "Pills that look the same and have gone through the same pill press, but unless someone has made sure the ingredients are really thoroughly mixed and it is the same batch, you just can't tell if one pill is going to be the same as another. And definitely with a little bag of white powder you had no idea."

Glastonbury Festival has issued a stern warning to attendees, stating that the use or dealing of illegal drugs at the event is not tolerated. The festival told The Sun that anyone found taking drugs on-site could face eviction.