Dorset pupils hospitalised over cocaine scare Published duration 25 January 2017

image caption The pupils are not thought to have ingested the powder, police said

Four children were taken to hospital over fears they had taken cocaine at school, believing it to be sweets.

Officers were called to Broadstone Middle School, Poole, on 3 January after reports the pupils had taken a white powder.

The substance was later confirmed as the Class A drug but it is not believed any of the children ingested it, Dorset Police said.

A man, 32, has been arrested on suspicion of drug offences and bailed.

The school said it had immediately called the police when the substance was found and took its duty of care to students seriously.

image caption The school caters for children from 9 to 13 but the ages of the children involved have not been released by police

The children were taken to Poole General Hospital where they were found to be in "good health" and discharged, police said.

In a joint statement, head teacher Dawn Wilks, and Rhonda Moore, executive head of the school's sponsor Castleman Academy Trust, said: "A child at Broadstone Middle School was found in possession of a substance that the children thought was sweets.

"The school was suspicious of the substance believing it to be a drug and immediately called the police.

"[Our] policies and procedures are robust and the school responded most swiftly to the incident, demonstrating how seriously we take our duty of care towards our youngsters."

The school, which caters for children aged 9 to 13, said it had written to all parents and carers of children at the school about the "isolated incident".