A DAD-OF-TWO has voiced disgust after finding thousands of syringes and needles along a canal towpath.

Warren Douglas, from Parr, captured the shocking images of the littered items near the Hotties canal by The Range, which he fears are the result of drug abuse.

The 32-year-old taxi driver said: “I have always loved the outdoors and do not want to warn off anyone from being outside, but something has to be done to sort this out.

“I would not feel comfortable at the moment letting my children walk along there and I hate that because the outdoors are there to be enjoyed. I am a keen angler and used to fish on the canal quite a lot but I have never seen anything like this before.

“I was just walking through on Friday as a one off really because I was walking to collect my son from school. I was shocked and disgusted.
“Needles, syringes and metal spoons as well as bloody plasters and rubbish were just scattered everywhere.

“Any child or animal could have fallen and got a needle caught in their hand or paw. God knows what that could mean health wise.

“It doesn’t bear thinking about because it’s slippy round there with all the mud and anyone who slipped could have ended up like a porcupine.

“I would love to see the council sort this so the area can be enjoyed, safely, by everyone.”

A council spokesman said: “After numerous visits to the site by the council’s greenspace inspector, it has become apparent that the area is being repeatedly used for drug misuse and antisocial behaviour, with associated litter including some 70 needles and syringes having been left and removed in the past few days.

“We are now working to deter this kind of behaviour with Merseyside Police, who will take up increased patrols in the area.”