Drug users have shown a “complete disregard for children’s safety” by leaving their dirty needles in a nature trail near a Dundee nursery and school.
The wooded area off Gillburn Road is being blighted by drug use, and members of the public repeatedly report finding used needles.
A police report highlighted the street as having the highest number of reports of discarded drug needles in the area over the past three months, and all of those were recovered close to the nature trail.
The path is just a short walk down the road from St Paul’s RC Academy and a nursery, and Strathmartine councillor Ian Borthwick slammed the behaviour of the irresponsible addicts who are putting children at risk.
He said: “It is a disgraceful disregard for the safety not just of adults, but children in particular. Children through curiosity do pick things up.”
He added: “They can get hepatitis, Aids and all sorts of diseases.”
Mr Borthwick said he was not surprised that the trail was proving appealing for addicts as it is secluded, but said there was no excuse for the dangerous mess left behind.
He said: “There is no need for them to do this because there are facilities where they can dispose of them properly.
“It is just selfishness. They stick them in people’s hedges sometimes. It is just appalling.
“That so-called nature area is a problem and it is certainly a problem in St Mary’s as well.
“That is not the poorest of areas, but this problem affects all parts of our city.
“It is something the police have to focus on and we also have to highlight to parents to watch out for their children.”
The police report stated there were 46 used needles recovered from the ward after just 16 tip-offs from members of the public between last November and last month.
This was up from 10 complaints from members of the public in the previous three months.
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “Dundee Community Safety Partnership’s 24-hour discarded needles and drug litter hotline can be contacted on (01382) 433063.
“It is staffed round the clock and reports are passed on to Dundee City Council’s environment department, community safety wardens or Police Scotland for action.”