A THIRTEEN-year-old girl had to be taken to hospital by ambulance on Sunday evening after being found drunk in Dunbar.

Police highlighted the incident at the town's community council meeting on Monday evening.

Constable Gavin Ross read out a brief report at the meeting and said: “On September 18, reports were received of underage persons drinking.

“One 13-year-old was taken to hospital by ambulance due to her level of intoxication.”

The incident is understood to have taken place near Salisbury Walk, south of the railway line, at about 7.15pm.

The officer told the Courier that the youngster had since been discharged from hospital but added: “It is a very disturbing state of affairs.

“We get a number of reports of youths as young as 12 or 13 drinking, with some to such an extent they have been hospitalised.”

PC Ross stressed that complaints of underage drinking were nothing new to the police but was concerned that the age of those involved seemed to be dropping.

Another incident highlighted at the meeting was a report of youths “buzzing gas” on a grass area off the town's Spott Road last Friday.

The officer told the community council: “The youths were not traced but empty gas tins were recovered.”

He described the incident as “extremely concerning” and enquiries are ongoing.

He said: “There have been numerous deaths throughout the country and our advice if we come across any youth who has been buzzing gas is we need to take them to hospital.”