ST Helens Council has vowed to tackle "drug litter" and has called on private landowners to join them in the fight to deal with the problem.

A syringe found dumped at the side of the Lidl supermarket on King Street on Saturday is the latest to be found in the town centre.

The local authority is asking landowners to contact them if they see any discarded drugs on the streets.

A council spokesperson said: “The safety of all our residents and visitors is of the utmost importance and we are actively targeting this problem by regularly sending our street cleansing team to known hotspot areas within the public realm.

“However one of the issues we do face is drug litter found on private land, which we may collect at a cost once it has been reported by the land owner.

“Private landowners can play an important role in our effort to tackle this problem which is blighting our community - and we would encourage them to contact the council at the first opportunity if they require our service, and to ensure measures are in place to prevent trespassers gaining access to their land in the first place.

"If you come across drug paraphernalia – which can be discarded syringes and any materials associated with drugs – do not touch in any way and report straight away by calling St Helens Council's contact centre on 01744 676789, online at sthelens.gov.uk/report-a-problem - or via the council's free mobile app.”