FRIENDS have warned about the dangers of the 'NekNominate' extreme drinking craze after a 20-year-old died at a Woolwich hostel at the weekend after downing a lethal cocktail of booze.

It is claimed Isaac Richardson drank a mixture of vodka, whisky, wine and lager at the Hostel Ordance in before he collapsed on Saturday evening (February 8) and later died.

Mr Richardson, nicknamed 'Chunk', is thought to be the first British person to die through NekNominate, a dangerous new craze where drinkers dare each other to drink alcohol in extreme ways, uploading videos of their stunts on to the internet.

News Shopper: Woolwich hostel death after man downs lethal cocktail in NekNominate drinking craze

Friends of Mr Richardson, who worked part time at the hostel to pay for his accommodation, say he had been dared to drink something "messed up", after returning there from O'Connors pub downstairs.

Pal Rodrigo Ortega, who knew Mr Richardson from the hostel, wrote on Facebook: "How is it possible?

"All for fault of the alcohol. Isaac wherever that you are now bro, you are gonna be always in my heart. You were my friend and a really nice person, full of life.

News Shopper: Mr Richardson collapsed in the Ordance Hostel above O'Connors

"Hope that wherever that you are now, you are all right. And for sure we'll see each other in a future. I'm so sorry for the family and friends like me."

Another friend, Daniel Oskarsson wrote: One of my first contacts here in London, died last night after drinking a cocktail mix of different sorts of alcohol in short time (some YouTube phenomena apparently).

"He was a young guy, beloved by everybody and it is truly a loss for this world."

A spokeswoman for the London Ambulance Service said they were called out at 11.03pm.

She said: "We sent a single responder in a car and two ambulances to the scene where staff treated on patient, a man who was in cardiac arrest.

"He was taken as a priority to hospital."

News Shopper: Woolwich hostel death after man downs lethal cocktail in NekNominate drinking craze

A Met Police spokesman said: "Police were called by staff at a south London hospital at approx 1.30am on February 9 to reports of a 20-year-old man who had died after being admitted there.

"Next of kin have been informed. The death is being treated as unexplained. Police are not treating this incident as suspicious."

NekNominate, also known as neck and nominate, is believed to have started in Australia and sees people film themselves drinking alcohol in one go before nominating other people to do the same thing within the next 24 hours.

The game has also been linked to the death of two Irish men, with 19-year-old Jonny Byrne drowning after jumping into a river following his challenge.

His brother Patrick wrote afterwards: "He thought he had to beat the competition and after he necked his pint he jumped into the river.

"If people have any decency and respect they will refrain from any more of this stupid NekNomination."