School children at Bolivia School
580 children in a school in Bolivia were taken ill after eating chicken sandwiches. AFP / Getty Images

580 children have suffered food poisoning after being given chicken sandwiches for breakfast at a school in northern Bolivia.

The children from the Antonio Vaca Diez School were transported to hospitals in the city of Cobija after suffering stomach pains and nausea.

One nine-year-old girl is in intensive care, while 11 other pupils are being kept in for observation.

One pupil said: "The students were vomiting, at first we had headaches and we were nauseous and we were vomiting."

The angry father of one of the children said: "Unfortunately, there is a lack of responsibility in the schools that don't regulate the school breakfast. Bad things can happen and kids can die and nobody says anything - it's the last straw."

Authorities said the sandwiches, which also contained mayonnaise and tomato ketchup, have been taken away for analysis.

The school has stopped serving food while the investigation takes place.