Leeds Festival death: Police believe 16-year-old boy may have taken MDMA before falling ill

West Yorkshire Police said the 16-year-old boy’s death was believed to be an isolated incident as no similar reports had been received.

It is thought that he may have taken MDMA before falling ill on Saturday night.

Officers were alerted about a teenager being taken to the medical tent at around 10.15pm on Saturday.

The boy was taken to hospital but died on Sunday.

The force said that his parents have been informed.

Assistant Chief Constable Catherine Hankinson said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the boy who has died, and we have officers supporting them at this very difficult time.

“While the exact cause of his death is yet to be established, one line of enquiry is that he had taken a particular type of ecstasy (MDMA) tablet, which was described as a grey or black oblong shape.

“At this moment in time, this is believed to be an isolated incident as we have not received any similar reports.”

Ms Hankinson highlighted the risks of taking illegal drugs as she urged other festivalgoers to seek help if needed.

“Users of any drug which is not professionally prescribed can never be sure of their contents and the risks involved with taking the substance,” she said.

“Anyone who does feel ill after taking any substance should seek urgent medical attention."

“We are continuing to conduct enquiries on site and are liaising closely with the event organisers.”

Anyone who believes they can assist the investigation can either contact police or security on site, call on 101, or use the LiveChat facility on the West Yorkshire Police website.