TWO schoolgirls have been found hanged in their homes only days before Christmas.

News of the tragedy involving Stacey Wilshaw, 12, from Rugeley, Staffordshire, came less than 24 hours after it was learned that 13-year-old Kayleigh Davies had been found dead in Eastleigh, Hampshire.

Only hours before Kayleigh's death, the teenager had been sent home by staff at Eastleigh's Alderman Quilley School for drinking alcohol on Wednesday, the last day of term.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the South Staffordshire Coroner Andrew Haigh confirmed tonight that Stacey died at Stafford District General Hospital on Tuesday evening, despite paramedics' efforts to revive her.

Neither death is being treated as suspicious by police.

An inquest has been opened and adjourned into the younger girl's death.

A post-mortem examination found she died from lack of oxygen to the brain due to suspension by the neck.

Inspector Michael Smith, of Staffordshire Police, said: "We do have contact with the family and, understandably, given the situation, they are very, very upset."

Alderman Quilley headteacher Ken Button contacted Kayleigh's mother Karen to tell her she had being sent home.

Her father, Martyn, later found his daughter hanging in the bedroom at 3pm and tried desperately to save her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene