A teenage girl faces being kicked out of a school in Eastbourne after she laced her friends' soft drinks with the drug amphetamine.

The pupil, thought to be 14 or 15, has been suspended as police and teachers at Causeway School in Larkspur Drive carry out an inquiry.

She spiked four other pupils' cola drinks with amphetamine - a Class B drug known to users as speed - at the 797-pupil school.

Teachers became aware when three girls and a boy complained of sickness.

All have now recovered and are continuing with their education.

Parents of the affected youngsters were called to a meeting at school, which was also attended by police, and informed what action had been taken.

School governors will meet on Monday to decide whether to permanently exclude the girl.

It is understood she said the other youngsters knew the soft drinks contained the drug.

In a statement, headteacher Peter Barton said: "The girl had purchased the drugs on the street with an older girl who does not go to the Causeway School.

"A preliminary investigation was carried out and the girl has been excluded from school for a fixed term, pending further investigation.

"The police were immediately informed and the investigation is in their hands. The chair of governors and the LEA were also informed.

"A meeting of all the young people who had become unwell with the drug and their parents was held at the school, with the police.

"All of the parents involved were happy that the school had taken prompt and decisive action to address the circumstances.

"Once a police investigation has taken place, the school will decide on the appropriate disciplinary action appropriate to the girl who had distributed the drugs in school.

"Parents should further be reassured that the school will always take firm and decisive action against the evil of drugs, should they come in to this school.

"We educate all children about the dangers of drugs whilst they are at the Causeway School."

The school, whose motto is motto As You Sow, You Shall Reap, opened in September 1998 with 140 Year 7 pupils, drawn mainly from Langney and Shinewater.

Details of the incident, which happened on Monday last week, have only just emerged. The meeting with parents and police took place on Thursday.

No one from the police was available for comment.