Used drug needles 'left on footpath' (From Free Press Series)

Used drug needles 'left on footpath'

RESIDENTS in Abergavenny claim police and the council put them in danger when they left used drug needles unmoved for two days.

The disposed needles were found near a popular footpath in the Dan-y-Deri area of Abergavenny.

Local man, Brian Ewers, said he immediately informed the authorities of the hazard but the needles were not removed for two days.

Gwent police and Monmouthshire council deny they received any report of the needles until Monday evening.

Albert McNab is a member of the Dan-y-Deri Residents Association.

He said: "There were children camping out near the footpath over the weekend, they could easily have come into contact with the needles.

"The pathway is also regularly used by people walking their dogs. It's just not acceptable for them to leave such dangerous things lying around for that length of time. If someone had pricked their finger their whole life could have been ruined."

A spokesman for Monmouthshire council told the Free Press that within 24-hours of the matter coming to their attention the needles were removed.

He said: "The council did not receive a report of the used needles from the police.

"On Monday we received a separate report from a concerned resident. But the information was incomplete and we spent a number of hours unsuccessfully trying to locate the needles. When they were eventually found on Tuesday they were removed immediately."

Gwent police say they did not receive a complaint about the needles until Monday evening.

DS Howard Salmon of Abergavenny division said: "We are very concerned about the situation.

"As a result, more resources have been directed in that area in order to prevent similar incidents in the future."