Concerns as needles found near children’s play area

“HUNDREDS” of needles have been spotted near a children’s play area in Pontypridd, residents claim.

Over the past few weeks people travelling into the town centre claim to have seen needles discarded in areas near Ynysangharad Park.

One man said he saw a man “injecting himself ” with a needle “directly under” a bridge in the town centre.

Luke John was going fishing when he saw the incident take place.

He was walking underneath the overpass bridge behind Badman’s Furniture Shop, on Mill Street, when he saw someone with a needle.

Luke, who lives in Pontypridd, said: “This happened recently when I was walking down the river towards the bridge.

“To my horror I saw a middle-aged man injecting himself with a needle directly under the bridge.

“He leant against the wall and then threw the needle into the river without a second thought.”

Luke, 24, explained the only way he could leave the area to access the main road was to walk past the man.

“As I walked past the man was making moaning noises and mumbling to himself then I looked down to the floor and saw hundreds of needles scattered everywhere. “I carefully stepped between them. “I was honestly so relieved to get from there.

“Recently I was strolling to Ponty Park, looking after my friend’s little girls, and I looked over the bridge and saw children and dogs playing in the river.

“I ran down and told them not to go in there because of what I saw.”

But Luke is not the only person who has voiced concerns.

Owen Bufton, 21, from Trelewis, has also spotted used needles in Ynysangharad Park.

He was walking in the park around a week ago when he came across the disregarded items.

Owen explained that as you walk around the park, there’s a muddy trail on the side of the track that lies next to the river which is where he saw the needles.

Owen said: “The area looked as if it was a common spot for drug use. There was even a dirty blood plaster on the floor. I had thin trainers on and it was like leaving a minefield.”

A spokesman for Rhondda Cynon Taf Council said: “The council is aware of the recent incident with drug-related litter in Pontypridd.

“When the council receives a complaint regarding drug-related litter, immediate steps are taken to remove and properly dispose of the waste.

“The council works with its partners on the Cwm Taf Substance Misuse Area Planning Board (APB), including South Wales Police, Cwm Taf Health Board and the third sector, to tackle and reduce the harms associated with substance misuse.

“If anyone sees drug-related litter in their community they should report it to the council on 01443 425001 so that arrangements can be made for its removal.”

Anyone with any concerns regarding anti-social behaviour, or illegal drug use, can contact police on 101.