Police have found and detained three teenagers who broke out from the Ashley Youth Detention Centre at Deloraine yesterday afternoon.

The three escapees aged 15, 16 and 17 scaled a perimeter fence and fled into bushland shortly after half-past-three.

Police found the three at Penguin in the north-west about 2:30am [AEDST] this morning.

They were taken to Burnie Police Station.