Lindsay Lohan freed after judge sends her to jail

Actress Lindsay Lohan has been freed, hours after a judge sent her to jail for failing a drugs test.

The Mean Girls star was released late on Friday after posting $300,000 (£190,000) bail, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman said.

Superior Court judge Elden Fox had denied her bail but his ruling was later overturned on appeal.

It was Lohan's third time in jail for a drink and drug driving case that dates back to 2007.

She will now be required to wear an alcohol monitor on her ankle and keep away from shops that primarily sell alcohol, until her next appearance in court on 22 October.

The judge will then decide whether the actress formally violated her probation by failing the drugs test.

Her previous two stays at a women's jail in a Los Angeles suburb lasted 84 minutes and 14 days respectively.

She was released early on both occasions due to over-crowding.

The actress previously acknowledged she had failed her drug test, by posting messages on the micro blogging site Twitter.

"Substance abuse is a disease, which unfortunately doesn't go away over night," she said.

"I am working hard to overcome it and am taking positive steps. This is certainly a setback for me but I am taking responsibility for my actions and I'm prepared to face the consequences."

Lohan remains on probation for reckless driving and two charges of driving under the influence.

Superior Court Judge Elden Fox dropped two other drug cases at a hearing in August, during which he announced Lohan's release from rehab and set out a strict outpatient treatment schedule that included random drug screenings.

At the time, he said he would sentence the actress to a month in jail for each drug test she skipped or failed.