A teenage girl died after apparently taking ecstasy during a night out with friends, it has emerged.

Stacey Laight, 15, from Horden, County Durham became unwell at a friend's house in the early hours of Saturday after spending the evening out in nearby Hartlepool.

An ambulance was called but she was certified dead on arrival at hospital.

A woman in her 30s has been questioned and released on police bail and a man in his 20s is still being interviewed by police in connection with the supply of controlled drugs.

Home Office pathologist Nigel Cooper carried out a post-mortem examination on Sunday and samples have been sent to a home office laboratory for toxicology tests.

'Rogue pills' alert

But a Durham Police spokesman said investigators believe Stacey had "taken ecstasy, alcohol and other drugs and hope the laboratory tests will confirm the exact cause of death".

The incident comes after several recent deaths related to the drug, including the case of 19-year-old Lorna Spinks.

The sociology student at Anglia Polytechnic University died in Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, on 7 May after collapsing the previous day.

Three days earlier, police in Norfolk had warned that "rogue ecstasy" was in circulation in East Anglia.

'Ordinary girl'

Stacey's former headteacher today described her death as a tragedy.

Michael Carter, headteacher of Our Lady Star of the Sea Roman Catholic primary school said: "She was just a hard-working schoolgirl, she didn't cause any problems in school."

She went to the primary school for four years before moving to St Bede's RC Comprehensive school in nearby Peterlee.

Mr Carter recalled how the dark-haired child was a pleasure to have at the school, he said: "She was a happy go lucky kiddie. This is totally surprising (her death).

"She is from an ordinary working class family - it is just a tragedy."

A spokesman for St Bede's RC Comprehensive School described Stacey's death as a "tragic" event but declined to comment further saying.