A FOUR-year-old boy thought to have inadvertently overdosed on drugs that were being stored in a kettle has returned home after being discharged from hospital.

Nathan Read was admitted to Blackburn Royal Infirmary a week ago following an incident at a house in Queen Street, Darwen.

He and three other people were taken to the hospital after showing the symptoms of an overdose.

Nathan was later transferred to Manchester's Pendlebury Children's Hospital and then back to Blackburn at Queen's Park Hospital over the weekend.

Today a spokesman for Pendlebury Hospital said Nathan had been discharged from Queen's Park as he continued to recover from the ordeal at home in East Lancashire.

Nathan was initially in a serious condition but later stabilised by medics.

Blackburn magistrates heard last week that he was expected to survive the incident, although it was said to be too early to judge if there will be any long-term effects.

The others treated and released at Blackburn Royal Infirmary were twin sisters Patricia and Joanne Wilson, 21, and another four-old-boy.

Drugs were allegedly left in a kettle which was then used to prepare food and drink.

Jeffrey Farquhar, of Queen Street, Darwen has appeared in Blackburn magistrates court charged with possession of ecstasy and cannabis in connection with the incident. He was remanded on bail until November 3 with conditions that he lives at his mother's address in Lytham Road, Blackburn, and does not contact Joanne Wilson, his partner.