I found old needle in kids’ park play area
AHORRIFIED mum found a used needle discarded in a Southport play area when she visited to celebrate her daughter’s ninth birthday.
Donna Gregory, 33, visited the play area at King’s Gardens, on the Promenade, with her three children on Sunday, at around 7.30am.
It wasn’t until her three children, aged nine, seven and four, had been playing on the equipment for an hour that she discovered used syringes and the needle under a wooden bridge.
They were brought to her attention by her children, who were curious about what they were.
Donna said: “The children had been at the play area for about an hour before they got to the ‘troll bridge’ section.
“They saw the needles under it and my sevenyear-old daughter asked my four-year-old son what it was.
“My son has a nut allergy and has an EpiPen at home, and he thought that was what it was.
“My daughter then asked if she should bring it over to me and I went into panic mode and obviously told them never to touch them and to get away from it immediately.”
The 33-year-old alerted Sefton Council and Merseyside police about the needles and she and another concerned parent disposed of the needles in a sanitary bin in a nearby toilet.
So the needles were removed before many families flocked to the area to enjoy the sunshine later that day.
Since the incident, Donna has shared her experience on social media and wants to spread the word and raise awareness for other parents.
The full-time mum from Southport regularly visits the play area with her three children.
But after this experience, Donna said that she will not be returning.
She said: “The children like the play area and we visit often, but we will not be returning again.
“I have heard this isn’t the first time this has happened, as a needle was apparently found in the sandpit a few weeks ago.
“It seems it has become a hot spot for this sort of behaviour, and when I arrived at the park on Sunday, at 7.30am, there was also a group of young lads drinking cider.”
Sefton Council been approached comment. has for