A woman has issued a heartfelt warning about so-called legal highs after the deaths of her two brothers who she said were "blighted with addiction".

Melanie Downie shared her story on social media after her brother, Simon McGough, 37, died on May 6, just three years after the death of her other brother, William, at the age of 30.

Mrs Downie, from Kilbirnie in North Ayrshire, warned that although the substances are marketed as "safe, fun, cheap and completely legal", they can also be "completely deadly".

She revealed that William was using a substance called NRG3 in the hours before his death but added nothing showed in his pathology report.

In a moving post on Facebook, the grieving sister said addiction had "chewed them up and spat them out" and called for the manufacturers of the substances to be prosecuted.

She wrote: "Simon and William were blighted with addiction, their drug of choice for the past four years was legal highs.

"Easily available on the internet and delivered straight to your door or from dozens of shops on any main street, marketed as safe and fun, cheap and completely legal. They can also be completely deadly.

"William was 30 years old. Simon was 37. Two young men. Dead. Legal highs should be banned. The danger of these drugs needs to be highlighted.

"I never post social media posts like this but it's so important that the small circle I can reach know that these drugs can be a killer.

"Please tell and share this story, if something positive can happen from the loss of my 2 brothers, let it be a ban on these drugs to finally be actioned."

She mentioned a number of legal highs, also known as new psychoactive substances (NPS), including Cherry Bomb, Pandora's Box and China White.

Mrs Downie added: "Kids and young people up and down the country are dying from drugs you can buy online. How many more families have to go through this?

"Please don't feel sorry for me. Feel sorry for my two poor brothers. Feel sorry for my mum and dad, from three children to one in the space of three years.

"Feel sorry for every single addict up and down this country with no support available, nowhere to turn to."

She added: "Please don't look down on anyone and think, oh there's another 'Junkie' the next time you see someone struggling with addiction.

"It's been a long, long time since drugs was a class thing. You've no idea what life has thrown at any person with addiction, no one is born an addict. No one chooses to be one. Addiction chose Simon and William."