Police in North Yorkshire have warned anyone who has purchased MDMA recently to think twice before taking it after the death of a 15-year-old girl.

The teenager, who has not been named, was found collapsed in a car park in the market town of Northallerton on Saturday night. A member of the public called the police at 9.30pm and officers attended with paramedics. The girl was taken to James Cook hospital in Middlesbrough, where she later died.

North Yorkshire police have said they believe the girl took MDMA, also known as ecstasy or Molly, and are investigating whether the drug caused her death.

DI Jon Sygrove said: “This is an incredibly sad and tragic event and police inquiries are ongoing to determine the events around the girl’s death. Our thoughts and condolences are with her family and friends.

“As our investigation continues, I’d advise anyone who has purchased MDMA recently to be cautious about taking it. If you have already taken the drug and feel unwell, please seek medical assistance immediately.”

He appealed to anyone who was in the vicinity of Applegarth car park on Saturday and may have seen anything that would assist police inquiries to come forward.

A police cordon remained in place at the car park.

In recent years there has been a revival in the popularity of ecstasy, which was initially associated with the boom in dance music culture in the late 1980s and early 90s.

There has been an accompanying increase in the number of deaths from the drug in England and Wales, rising from eight in 2010 to 63 in 2016 before falling to 56 in 2017, the latest year for which data is available.

The surge in the number of fatalities is blamed by some increase in the strength, with pills containing more MDMA than in the past.

Some music festivals have piloted drug testing to enable purchasers to ascertain their content and strength before taking them. The Royal Society for Public Health has said safety testing facilities should be standard at festivals and city centre nightlife areas where drug use is common.