Bully theory in suicide pact

A teenage suicide pact may have been triggered by bullies who taunted one of the girls over her weight.

Laura Rhodes, 13, died and Rebecca Ling, 14, is recovering in hospital after the British girls swallowed prescription pills and left a note saying they "did not wish to be parted".

The two, who met over the internet, had sparked a national police search when they ran away last week after returning from a family break in Greece together.

The news comes amid increasing concerns about the safety of internet chatrooms. Ministers are particularly worried by websites that promote suicide and self-harm.

The girls had been due to resume school after the northern summer. They were eventually traced to a bed and breakfast in Bath, Somerset. But within hours of being located on Saturday, they made the suicide attempt.