A 15-year-old schoolgirl has died after taking Ecstasy during a night out with friends.

Stacey Laight, had been enjoying herself in the pubs and clubs of Hartlepool, Teesside, with teenage pals.

But somewhere on her journey around the town on Friday night she took killer Ecstasy mixed with drink and other drugs.

She returned to a friend's home in Peterlee, County Durham by taxi in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Stacey's friends saw that she was ill on Saturday but it is believed they left her to sleep it off.

It was only much later on Saturday night that an ambulance was called and Stacey was rushed to hospital.

But by then it was too late to save her and she was certified dead on arrival at hospital at 12.20am on Sunday.

Police don't know the quantities of the drugs taken or what other drugs taken by Stace

She was rushed by ambulance to University Hospital of Hartlepool where she died at midnight on Sunday.

A post mortem was carried out by home office pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper and samples were sent to Home Office laboratories for toxicology tests.

A police spokesman said that toxicology tests should be able to answer their questions.

Detective Sergeant Mark Willoughby of Peterlee Police, said; "We believe Stacey had taken Ecstasy, alcohol and other drugs.

"We hope that the laboratory tests will confirm the exact cause of death." y were.

Stacey's devastated family who live in the village of Horden, County Durham were yesterday coming to terms with her death.

A woman in her late 30s from Peterlee and a man in his 20s from Blackhall, County Durham were arrested on suspicion of supplying controlled drugs.

The woman was released on police bail and the man was today helping police with their inquiries at Peterlee police station.

Stacey's death comes three weeks after Loran Spinks, 19, was killed by two super-strength Ecstasy pills she took at Cambridge's Junction nightclub.

It is estimated up to one million young people take the drug every weekend.

Updated: 15.45 Monday, May 21