12-year-old girls hospitalized after taking ecstasy pills in Britain

Three girls aged 12 were in hospital on Sunday in Manchester after taking ecstasy pills.

They are thought to be among the youngest ever to be made dangerously ill by swallowing social drugs.

Greater Manchester Police said two were seriously ill and the third was under observation in hospital.

The incident came just weeks after teenager Faye Allen, 17, from nearby Liverpool, died after taking an ecstasy pill at a dance event in Manchester.

Police were alerted to a shopping precinct late Saturday night after reports that the 12 year olds had become ill after taking the drug known as "teddy tablets."

Paramedic crews rushed the three girls to hospital in the city as police launched an inquiry to establish who supplied the potentially lethal class-A drugs to the schoolgirls.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Walker of Manchester CID said: "It outrages me that people think it is acceptable to sell controlled drugs to anyone, let alone 12-year-old girls."

"It is imperative young people understand the implications and avoid taking drugs, to stop any more young people ending up in hospital. People taking these drugs don't know what they contain or what effect they will have. It's not worth the risk of ending up in hospital or even suffering fatal consequences," Walker said.

"Let this be a warning to anyone supplying Class A drugs to young people, and in this case children, you are ruining lives. We will catch you and the full force of the law will be brought down on you," added the officer.

Police believe the girls are among the youngest people in Britain to have fallen ill after taking the drug. Endit