Three pupils at an integrated school in Carrowdore, County Down, have been suspended after a school bus driver suspected they were taking drugs on board his vehicle.

He stopped his bus and called staff at Strangford College who arrived at the scene and escorted the pupils back to school.

The principal of Strangford College, Anne Rowe, said it was a one off incident which the school dealt with correctly.

We can confirm that pupils were caught smoking on the bus but we cannot confirm that they were smoking anything PSNI spokeswoman

"We suspended the children to try to look, possibly, at rehabilitation programmes if necessary for the children involved to see a pathway through what is really an isolated incident.

"Sadly, all schools are a microcosm of society anyway and our children are very badly exposed to this kind of action," she said.

A police spokeswoman also confirmed today that an investigation was under way.

She said: "We can confirm that pupils were caught smoking on the bus but we cannot confirm that they were smoking anything illegal. The matter is currently still under police investigation."

A statement from the chairman of the school's board of governors, Bettie Benton, said the college took the issue of drug abuse very seriously.

She said: "The board of governors of Strangford College have made it absolutely clear to students and their parents that it will not tolerate any illegal substances of any kind and that any student found in possession, using, or dealing in any such substances will be dealt with appropriately."

"We take very seriously our duty of care to all students."

The incident is understood to have taken place two weeks ago as the bus made its way to the school.

One of the pupils has now returned to the school while two remain suspended.

Drugs survey

A report released last year suggested more than quarter of Northern Ireland school pupils were offered drugs.

Conducted by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, the survey involved a self-completion questionnaire given to more than 6,000 post-primary school children in 62 schools.

It said a fifth of pupils had been offered solvents on at least one occasion and most of those who tried solvents were aged 12 the first time they tried them.

Most of the 28% of pupils offered drugs were offered cannabis, with the majority of the 17% who took drugs aged 14 at the time.