Canterbury MP Julian Brazier has called on the government to take a tougher stance against the selling of legal highs by widening legislation.

The politician has written to Home Office minister Norman Baker and has asked him to consider widening legislation to tackle shops such as UK Skunkworks in Northgate.

He says he is determined to stop the "distasteful trade" following cases where youngsters have died after taking legal highs.

He added shops such as UK Skunkworks are continuing to find loopholes to sell legal highs over the counter despite the government's determination to tackle it.

The MP wrote: "I don’t have to tell you that, with each tragedy in the community, public feeling is getting stronger on this.

"It cannot be healthy in a democracy to see the law made into an ass in this way. Could I urge you to look more widely."

Mr Brazier says more approaches needed to be explored including Irish law where he says the burden of proof is on the shop selling harmful substances.

His calls come following a KentOnline campaign to crack down on legal highs which launched in January.

In October, Canterbury College student Matt Ford almost died after taking Exodus Damnation in his bedroom after buying from UK Skunkworks.

The 17-year-old suffered a heart attack and has vowed never to take legal highs again following the incident.