A TEENAGE boy administered the horse tranquiliser ketamine to another pupil at Dowdales School in Dalton, police said.

Officers were called today at 12.24pm after receiving a report a teenage child administered a controlled drug to another pupil.

The incident happened yesterday at Dowdales.

A teenage boy is helping police with enquiries while the school vowed to work with officers during the investigation.

Dalton North Councillor Jill Heath, whose two grown-up children both attended Dowdales, described the incident as "terrifying".

"It's of great concern but that is all I can say as I have no knowledge of this whatsoever," she said.

"It's terrifying."

The victim, a teenage boy, who was given the ketamine suffered no injuries and was not given any medical treatment.

In a statement, Cumbria Police said: "Police were called at 12:24pm today (3rd May), to the report of a teenage child administering a controlled drug to another pupil yesterday, at a school in Dalton.

"A teenage boy is helping police with their enquiries.

"The victim, a teenage boy, suffered no long term injury and did not require medical treatment."

Ketamine, often called "K," "Special K" or "Vitamin K", is a potent dissociative anesthetic. Commonly used in veterinary medicine the drug has become common on the party scene among those seeking the detached high it provides.

The drug can come in the form of a white powder, liquid or pills which can cause users to hallucinate. Because it's an anesthetic, it can reduce physical sensations and induce temporary paralysis, so the user is awake but unable to move his limbs or even talk.

Dowdales School said in a statement: "The safety and well-being of our students is our number one concern at Dowdales.

"The school is assisting Cumbria police with their enquiries regarding a drug-related incident."