HEALTH watchdogs have issued a warning after a young woman died after she is believed to have taken banned tanning injections bought off the internet.

Jenna Vickers, aged 26, from Breightmet , collapsed in TanTastic, in Bury Road, Breightmet, last Monday.

Shop manager Lisa Rourke broke into the cubicle, but was unable to save her.

It is not yet known if there is any link between Miss Vickers’ death and the tanning injections.

But on August 17, in an entry on Miss Vickers’ Twitter page, she indicated she had taken the jabs.

Tanning injections of the product Melanotan are banned from sale in the UK, but can be bought online.

Melanotan is a synthetic hormone that encourages the body to produce melanin, the body’s natural protection from the sun, which also darkens the skin.

But the drug, which has to be injected into the skin, has not been given official approval as safe to use.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which regulates medicines and ensures they are safe to use, appealed for anyone who has bought the drug to contact the agency.

A spokesman said: “We are warning people not to use this product.

“Melanotan is not licensed for use in the UK, and there is no information about its safety.

“Side effects from its use could be extremely serious.If you have used this product, do not use it again, and if you have any health concerns, you should seek advice from your doctor.

“The sale of Melanotan is a criminal offence and we advise people who have bought this product to contact us.”

It is not suggested TanTastic was involved in supplying the injections, or that the injections contributed to her death.

There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding Miss Vickers’ death.

A post-mortem examination has taken place, and the cause of death is unascertained.

An inquest will now be held to determine the cause of death.