Four children have been taken to hospital after eating jelly sweets which they believed contained cannabis, Surrey Police said.

The force said a 12-year-old girl, a 12-year-old boy and a boy aged 13 suffered “a violent reaction from eating jelly sweets that they believed contained cannabis”.

Police said they were called by the South East Coast Ambulance Service to the parade of shops on Pound Lane, Epsom, at 2.15pm, where three children were vomiting uncontrollably and falling in and out of consciousness.

They were taken to hospital by ambulance and another 12-year-old boy was taken to hospital by his family as a precaution because he is also believed to have eaten the sweets.

All four children will remain in hospital overnight for observation.

It is believed the sweets may have been supplied to the children at the nearby Court Recreation Ground.

Police do not have a clear description of the sweets involved, although a similar report from Friday night involved “jelly apple rings” which resemble green jelly circles.

Detective Sergeant Lee Marks, of Surrey Police, said: “We are, of course, trying to understand what these sweets are, where they came from and what they contain.

“However, our immediate priority is to warn parents and to tell children in the area not to be tempted to try them as they are obviously causing substantial harm.

“These types of products, which may be marketed as ‘cannabis infused’ or ‘CBD infused’ are illegal, and therefore unregulated, in the UK.

“They can appear to be commercial products with professional packaging, but this should not be taken as a sign that they are safe or legal.”

Anyone who is concerned about the health of someone that they believe may have taken these products is asked to call NHS 111 or 999 in an emergency.

Anyone with information about the supply of these sweets in the Epsom area or who has found similar sweets or related packaging in the area local to Court Recreation Ground, is asked not to destroy them but to contact Surrey Police via the online chat on www.surrey.police.uk quoting reference PR/P21090934.

People can also call Surrey Police on 101 or, in an emergency, ring 999.