A 12-year-old rape victim in Northern Ireland has been forced to travel to England under police escort for an abortion, MPs have been told.

Dawn Purvis, former director of the Marie Stopes pregnancy advice service in Belfast, said an officer seized samples from the procedure as evidence.

The child, who was not identified, could not be treated in Northern Ireland due to strict laws prohibiting the procedure in most circumstances.

Northern Ireland has a ban on abortions in almost all cases – even rape or incest.

The 1967 Abortion Act, which established legal abortion, has never applied in Northern Ireland.

Terminations are only allowed in cases where the woman's life is in danger or there is a permanent or serious risk to her mental or physical health.

"The police had to go with her, they attended the surgical procedure to seize the evidence,” Ms Purvis said.

"That is inhumane treatment of a young child who did not have a passport and had to leave the country.”

It is unclear when the incident happened or whether the girl faced any action as a result.

Theresa May has faced pressure to give MPs a free vote on the issue after abortion was legalised in the Republic of Ireland following a historic referendum last May.

Ms Purvis, a former Independent Unionist member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, appeared before the Commons Women and Equalities Committee on Friday during its hearing in Belfast on Northern Ireland's abortion law.

Northern Irish women protesting anti-abortion laws take illegal pills Show all 8 1 /8 Northern Irish women protesting anti-abortion laws take illegal pills Northern Irish women protesting anti-abortion laws take illegal pills Campaigners intervene after police try to lead away one of the three women (centre with sunglasses) who publicly took an abortion pill during a demonstration outside Belfast's Crown and High Courts, where counter-demonstrations were held by both sides of the Northern Irish abortion argument. PA Northern Irish women protesting anti-abortion laws take illegal pills Police officers watch on from close by as abortion rights campaign group ROSA, Reproductive Rights Against Oppression, Sexism and Austerity hold a protest in Belfast Getty Northern Irish women protesting anti-abortion laws take illegal pills Eleanor Crossey Malone takes an abortion pill as abortion rights campaign group ROSA, Reproductive Rights Against Oppression, Sexism and Austerity distribute abortion pills Getty Northern Irish women protesting anti-abortion laws take illegal pills Ruth Coppinger TD addresses the crowds outside Belfast's Crown and High Courts where counter-demonstrations were held by both sides of the Northen Irish abortion argument. PA Northern Irish women protesting anti-abortion laws take illegal pills Eleanor Crossey Malone displays an abortion pill packet after taking a pill Getty Northern Irish women protesting anti-abortion laws take illegal pills Protestors dressed as hand maidens stand as abortion rights campaign group ROSA, Reproductive Rights Against Oppression, Sexism and Austerity distribute abortion pills from a touring bus Getty Northern Irish women protesting anti-abortion laws take illegal pills An unidentified woman takes an abortion pill as abortion rights campaign group ROSA, Reproductive Rights Against Oppression, Sexism and Austerity distribute abortion pills from a touring bus Getty Images Northern Irish women protesting anti-abortion laws take illegal pills A robot drone delivers abortion pills as abortion rights campaign group ROSA, Reproductive Rights Against Oppression, Sexism and Austerity distribute abortion pills Getty

"We saw many young women we could not help, from the roma or travelling community, victims of domestic violence,” she told MPs.

"One woman came in with a boot mark on her face where she was constantly battered and raped by her abusive partner over Christmas, and she could not leave Northern Ireland and the law here does not help women.”

Twelve abortions were carried out in Northern Ireland last year, official statistics show.