First picture of young Brits who died after 'snorting heroin theythought was cocaine' in Amsterdam

Shaun Brotherston, 20, and Bradley Price, 21, were celebrating a 21st birthday bash in the Dutch city

Tragic: Shaun Brotherston and Bradley Price died during a trip in Amsterdam

British men killed after snorting heroin in Amsterdam.

Shaun Brotherston was celebrating his 21st birthday with friend Bradley Price, 21, in the Dutch city.

It is believed the pair thought they were taking cocaine but it was actually white heroin.

Their bodies were found in a hotel room next to the white powder.

Keen amateur footballer Shaun was described as a 'lovely lad' by his Plymouth Falcons team manager.

The club's game tomorrow has been postponed and the league is to hold a minute's silence for the dead men who both lived in Plymouth, Devon.

Falcons manager Alan Potter said: "Shaun was such a lovely lad, well liked by everyone and a really well respected member of the team.

"He was superb player and quite a few of his friends are on the team - they're absolutely devastated.

"He was an excellent winger. He will be sadly missed. He was out there celebrating his birthday, everyone is deeply shocked."

Both men studied locally and Shaun also worked at a local hotel in the Devon city.

Tributes said the pair were 'two of the nicest, kindest boys'.

Police spokesman Rob van der Veen said on Wednesday: "We did a quick test to find out what kind of powder it was. It wasn't cocaine, it was an opiate - in this case, white heroin.

"We took the sample to the Dutch forensic institute and they found out that the contents of this material is the same contents as other material that we already seized in other cases where people got sick."

He said investigators believe the men were targeted by the same street dealer, or ring of dealers, involved in the death of another Briton last month.

Local authorities have pleaded with tourists to steer clear of street pushers, and since October have distributed warning signs and flyers at hotels and hostels, main squares and at Amsterdam's Centraal railway station.

The pamphlets warn: "The last couple of weeks several tourists were hospitalized with severe health problems after using cocaine bought on the street ... Research has revealed that the cocaine used was not cocaine but white heroin."

They also remind visitors that in Amsterdam "you won't be arrested for taking drugs".

The Foreign Office says it is liaising with Dutch authorities, and is "providing consular assistance" to the families.

The tragedy is reminiscent of the storyline of Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction, in which Uma Thurman's character Mia snorts heroin she believes to be cocaine and overdoses, but she is saved after an adrenaline injection.