A CHEMICAL weapon attack was feared when drinkers were evacuated from a pub after a gas canister was let off.

Customers at The Capitol, London Road, Forest Hill, first thought the strange smell was cannabis but then some of them started choking.

They were all evacuated from the pub at about 10.45pm on May 31.

Police, firefighters and ambulance crews arrived and one man was taken to Kings College Hospital.

Five others were treated at the scene but felt well enough not to go to hospital.

Lee Grimshaw, from Dulwich, was in The Capitol with two friends at the time of the incident.

He said: "I was coughing when it went off but I did not really feel the after effects of it.

"People did not really know what was going on and they were reluctant to leave their tables and their drinks and they were joking about it."

The 25-year-old who is training to be a teacher added: "I'm surprised it happened but I was quite glad it was a CS gas canister because it could have been worse.

"I know there are chemical weapons out there and mustard gas.

"The area was taped off quite early on and traffic was diverted.

"I saw two people in orange hazmat suits enter the pub and we were told later on that they suspected it was cs gas."

Finance magazine features editor Antony Ireland, 26, lives opposite the pub.

He said: "There were absolutely loads of emergency services vehicles there.

"It looked like there must have been a fire because of the sheer number of fire engines but with the ambulances I thought there might have been a fight."

Three hazardous area response teams were sent by the London Ambulance Service as a precaution but they were not needed.

The pub was open for business as normal the following day.

Anyone with information about the incident should call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.