Police have arrested four youths on suspicion of taking part in a so-called “choking challenge”, in which people film themselves falling unconscious.

The arrests relate to an incident at a school in Rotterdam this month in which a boy was strangled until he passed out. He regained consciousness shortly afterwards and did not need hospital treatment.

Choking games have become popular on social media site TikTok, but police warn they can have dangerous or fatal consequences.

The four suspects have been released while the public prosecution service decides whether to take further action.

“All those involved are very shocked by these events and the consequences and were unaware of the dangers,” the force sad in a statement.

Last week it was revealed that a third-year pupil at Anna van Rijn College in Nieuwegein had died in a choking challenge. The 16-year-old boy was alone at the time and no further investigations are being conducted into his death.

The boy’s parents asked the school to make the cause of his death public in order to make other families aware of the dangers. Police also urged parents to talk to their children about the risks involved.