TOT IN NEEDLE SCARE
Mum speaks out after walk with kids in town nature trail
Blood-filled needles were discovered by a toddler on a Hamilton nature trail.
The two-year-old came close to hurting himself when he stood on a discarded syringe, while concerned mum-of-two Vicky McPolland found more paraphernalia. She says: “My biggest concern is one of my kids is going to get infected by discarded needles. It’s horrifying.” Vicky is calling for action after shocking images showed evidence of suspected drug use.
Needles and blood-filled syringes have been found by children on a Hamilton nature trail.
A two-year-old accidentally stood on a discarded syringe while out a family walk at the area alongside Burnbank Road.
Luckily, it was a plastic part but his disgusted mum is gravely concerned that a needle will infect her children if they stumble across them again.
The issue has been reported twice in recent weeks by worried mum-of-two Vicky Mcpolland who feels not enough is being done to protect infants and young people in the area.
“It’s disgraceful”, Vicky said. “I’ve got a sixyear-old and a two-year old, and the first time it happened a couple of weeks ago, my son had just put the tip of his foot on one of the needles and I had to grab him out the way. It’s unbelievable, there was a syringe that was full of blood.
“We go a walk every day and that area is very local for us and it’s accessible, it’s got a wee path, trees and a couple of benches so the kids love going down there so it’s just really unfair.
“My biggest concern is one of my kids is going to get infected by one of their discarded needles if they stand on it. I’m scared one of these needles is going to go up one of their feet. It’s horrifying.”
Vicky has been taking her children walks on the trail daily during lockdown as it is next to her home and stresses she shouldn’t be forced to walk elsewhere because of the issue and a less familiar area would make her feel less safe.
Shocking images show the discarded needles and alcohol wipes among other evidence of suspected drug use in the public area. Vicky explained she has become accustomed to seeing glass and rubbish from anti-social behaviour but says enough is enough and it’s about time something was done to protect local children.
She added: “I’m just astounded by the attitude towards it all, as if ‘that’s what they do, it’s fine’.
“There’s been needles and different paraphernalia and even been human faeces and things like that. There’s broken glass everywhere and Buckfast bottles you get used to seeing every day.
“I know if I looked further there would be even more because it’s just a disgrace down there.
“I’ll report it every single time, but I don’t think I should have to stop taking my children there because of all of this and nothing being done.
“My six-year-old said to me ‘mum that’s not another needle is it?’ She shouldn’t even know what these things are.
“She had seen it when we were out and told me to look and it was somebody’s blood, it’s human body fluids, they don’t care.”
There were bins nearby where the paraphernalia was discovered showing just how avoidable dangerous scenarios could be, even if alleged drug activity is carried out.
Vicky added: “i know everybody has their battles and problems, but you see all their kit, alcohol wipes and things like that, so if they’re taking steps like that, then take steps to do it where it doesn’t affect anybody else.
“If they’re going to do it there, it’s children they’re affecting by throwing their needles on the ground, who have nothing to do with anything.
“I would say to these people to get help if they can but if not then clean up after themselves. It’s affecting babies, surely even they can see that’s wrong. Don’t have it affecting children, that’s unfair.”