A BBC reporter was rendered speechless - but certainly not giggleless - after he received a contact high whilst reporting the aftermath of a drug raid in Afghanistan. 

A video of reporter Quentin Sommerville has gone viral after the BBC correspondent appears to be high whilst attempting to report on air. Sommerville was filmed next to a burning pile of opium, heroin and hash whilst reporting on a drug raid carried out by authorities in Afghanistan. 

Sommerville first alerted the public to the footage which he posted on Twitter to his 24,000 followers. The tweet written on Monday (22nd December) has since been deleted but read, as the Telegraph reports, "Dear tweeps, it's been a year of bullets & bloodshed. You've earned a xmas laugh, at my expense." 

The footage, entitled 'Don't Inhale', shows Sommerville attempting to explain his position. He begins saying "burning behind me is eight-and-a-half tonnes of heroin, opium, hashish and other narcotics," but soon creases over in a fit of giggles. In the footage, Somerville attempts twice to regain his composure but is simply unable to and he, and his cameraman, by the end of the footage are in hysterics. 

Sommerville deleted the footage allegedly owing to copyright issues but interestingly the BBC have also tried to distance themselves from the concept of drug use, even in what appears to be an accidental situation. A spokesperson, speaking to the British newspaper, explained how the incident had occurred years ago and was not intended for air.

"The video of Quentin corpsing [the act of breaking character or going unintentionally off script] which has now been deleted, was posted in the spirit of a blooper," the BBC spokesperson said. "It was filmed four years ago - it hasn't been seen before and was never broadcast."

Watch the video of Sommerville attempting to report on the drug raid: