Three pupils at a North Oxfordshire school have been suspended after reports they took ecstasy in school.

Parents from the Warriner School in Bloxham were alerted by headteacher Annabel Kay after an allegation that the drug was taken during the school's sports day.

Dr Kay said she had been told by pupils that such drugs were becoming "readily available" at certain festivals in the area. She contacted parents with her concerns following the alleged incident on June 22.

She added: "What I will not tolerate is that it is acceptable that these drugs come into our school.

"We have worked really hard to create an environment where students can report to us things that they are concerned about.

"We just try to educate them and give them resilience. Our job is also to keep parents informed." 

Dr Kay added that she had contacted other headteachers locally to alert them to the problem, but said there was no evidence yet that pupils took ecstasy in school.

The three pupils, believed to be girls in their mid-teens, have been temporarily excluded from school while an investigation takes place.

Thames Valley Police spokeswoman Hannah Jones confirmed police had received a report of three pupils bringing a tablet into school on June 22.

She added one of the pupils was reported to have taken part of the tablet and required medical attention.

A police investigation is now underway.