Dirty needles found near play park

The container came from a local needle exchange

Worried parents have called for an inquiry after a container filled with dirty hypodermic needles was found near a children's play area.

A seven-year-old boy found the container, believed to belong to a local needle exchange, in bushes near a swing park in the Cornton area of Stirling.

Cornton Primary pupil Jehrone Kerr took the bottle 500 yards to his home, where his mother, Suzanne, 33, called the police.

The container was supplied by Cornton Pharmacy, which provides a hypodermic needle exchange service for addicts.

My mum has taught me not to touch syringes so I just picked up the bottle with a stick

Jehrone Kerr

Mrs Kerr said that at first she was annoyed with her son.

"I nearly had a heart attack when I saw what he had brought into the house," she said.

"I was initially angry at Jehrone, then I realised his brave action had saved other children.

Community concern

"He said there were other wee boys younger than him playing nearby and he didn't want them to go and open it.

"I had a look and you could tell they were dirty needles. You could see drops of blood. It was disgusting."

Jehrone said he did not want to see other young children touching any of the needles.

"My mum has taught me not to touch syringes so I just picked up the bottle with a stick," he said.

Councillor John Paterson said he was shocked by the incident and applauded the child for his sensible actions.

The needles were handed to police

"No-one wants to see this sort of thing happening in their community," he said.

"I have got to commend the child for his actions and his parents who have warned him of the dangers of syringes."

Local residents called for the needle exchange to identify which addict dropped the needles.

Users will now be warned that they must comply with rules which state used needles must be returned to the pharmacy within the container.

Pharmacist Graeme McFarlane said: "We provide a needle exchange on a one-for-one basis, old for new.

"It is one of the requirements of the scheme that a sealed container which we supply is used to bring the syringes back."