A 12-year-old boy died after eating cookies poisoned by two girls at his school in north-eastern Brazil, police said today.

The girls, aged 13 and 14, admitted putting a deadly dose of rat poison in the cookies, but claimed they were meant for two rival girls at their school on the outskirts of the city of Recife.

The boy, who was called to deliver the toxic cookies to allay suspicions, was not aware of the plan and ate them instead, with deadly result. He was taken to hospital in agony and died shortly afterwards.