Two 13-year-olds charged over 10 school pupils taken ill after 'swallowing tablets'

Two 13-year-olds have been charged over 10 pupils who fell ill at school after allegedly taking tablets.

Emergency services were called to Dunfermline High School in Fife just after lunchtime on Friday.

It is believed some pupils may have taken tablets outside the school grounds during the lunch break.

Four pupils were taken to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy after becoming unwell, while six others were treated at the scene, the Scottish Ambulance Service said.

A boy and a girl, both aged 13, have been charged in connection with the incident, police said.

The teenagers will be referred to the Children's Reporter.

Fife Council has urged parents to speak to their children and seek medical advice if they think they have taken tablets.

Phil Black, head of education and children's services at Fife Council, said: "After lunchtime, we were made aware that a small number of our pupils may have taken tablets outwith school grounds during lunchtime.

"We called emergency services immediately and have worked with them to identify and support pupils who may have been affected."

The Scottish Ambulance Service said on Friday that it was alerted at 1.23pm to attend the incident.

A spokesperson said: "We dispatched five ambulance crews, a special operations unit and a rapid response vehicle.

"We treated six patients at the scene and transported four to Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy."

Alan Craig, Conservative councillor for Dunfermline ward, told the BBC Scotland news website: "It is unbelievable that this sort of stuff is happening at a school and nothing is getting done about it.

"Somebody must be seeing somebody selling it or handing it out. I'm shocked and bewildered.”