THE dangers of children finding potentially fatal discarded needles in Morecambe and Lancaster is getting out of hand according to councillors in the area. Now they are seeking urgent talks with the police, environmental health officials and drug advisors to try and thrash out a plan of action to deal with what they say is an increasing problem. The call has come after city councillors received complaints from parents whose children have picked up needles left by drug users in alleyways, playgrounds and even on Morecambe prom.

Morecambe Cllr Geraldine Smith said: "A number of people have come to me about this and I am very, very concerned about it, especially when children are involved.

"It is an appalling situation and we want to see the issue put on the council's environmental health agenda as soon as possible.

"It is something we feel strongly about and we have to take action to try and do something about this, even if it means employing someone especially to clean areas up after needles have been found."

Alleyways and playgrounds in Morecambe's West End and on Lancaster's estates have been named as needle danger zones, although used needles have even been found in tourist places such as Morecambe's stone jetty.

Cllr Smith and other councillors in the area are pressing for talks with organisations such as the police, environmental health department and Morecambe's needle exchange which provides clean needles for drug users when they trade in their used ones.

The council's acting chief environmental health officer, David Robinson, explained: "I am not aware of a recent increase in this problem. When we are informed of needles found as litter, we get them picked up as soon as possible and they are then sent for disposal as medical waste."

And Supt Bernard Kershaw of Lancaster Police said he was open to talks and added: "We recognise the danger of discarded needles and would support any action that would help deal with the problem."

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