A 17-year-old boy has admitted supplying ecstasy after six children were treated in hospital for effects of the drug.

The youth, who cannot be identified, gave the potentially lethal Class A substance to two 13-year-old girls who shared the tablets with their friends, also 13.

The two girls met the accused at a retail park in Irvine, Ayrshire, and picked up the pills, which were stamped with an owl logo similar to the Trip Advisor brand, before going to one of the friend's house.

Kirsty Urquhart, prosecuting, said: "The witness' mother quickly became aware that the group were under the influence of some substance and cleared the house and took her daughter to hospital.

"She also contacted as many of the other parents as she could in order that they too could be taken to hospital.

"Five children were thereafter taken to hospital and police located a sixth child to ensure her welfare and she was also brought to Crosshouse Hospital for treatment."

One of the children, which included three girls and three boys, told officers the tablets were called Trip Advisors, Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard

Police interviewed the youngsters who all confirmed they had taken ecstasy in tablet form, Miss Urquhart added.

All the children had elevated blood pressure and heart rate consistent with having taken ecstasy and were kept in overnight for observations before being discharged with following day.

The accused youth, of Irvine, admitted supplying ecstasy to two of the girls at Rivergate retail park in Irvine on February 24.

When police traced the boy and explained why they were there, he replied: "It was me that selt it to them."

He later gave a "no comment" interview before entering a fast-tracked guilty plea.

Simon Brown, defending, said the boy, who had only one prior fixed penalty conviction, and had given his intention to plead guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Sentence was deferred for background reports.