HORRIFIED parents have told how they discovered used needles just metres from the entrance to a Bridgwater school.

The discarded syringes were found on Friday evening outside Somerset Bridge Primary School by Steve Lovell, around 100 metres from the school gates.

Mr Lovell, whose eight-year-old son is a pupil at the school in Wilstock village, said that he was shocked to find a handful of needles next to the footpath in plain view.

“We were walking passed and saw three or four needles in the hedge next to the footpath,” he said.

“It’s disgusting to discard them anywhere, let alone so close to a school.

“My son is now getting to the age where he’ll be wanting to walk to school himself and finding something like this really makes you worry.

“My four-year-old son, who’ll start school in September, is at that sort of age where he just wants to pick things up – especially if it’s bright orange like one of the needles was.”

When the Mercury visited the site yesterday morning (Monday) we found an other needle discarded on the grass verge just 100 metres from the school, with a children’s playground a short walk in the other direction.

They are often used to inject legal highs, sometimes mixed with methadone – a less potent drug prescribed by doctors to heroin addicts.

Richard Ives, vice-chairman of Stockmoor and Wilstock Residents Association, said: “We are aware of some problems with drug use in the area but I’m absolutely horrified that needles have been discarded so close to the primary school.

“It’s very concerning that they are just dumped anywhere in public but particularly next to the school.

“It’s my view that there needs to be CCTV installed in the village to discourage drug users and I would encourage anyone who finds discarded needles to contact the police.”

A police spokesperson said: “Anyone who finds discarded needles or other materials associated with drug use should report it to their local police station using the non-emergency number 101 so we can take positive action and build a clearer picture of any drug abuse in the area.”

Nick Smith of the Taunton-based South West Action Group, who is campaigning against the use of legal highs, said: “It’s becoming a massive problem in the area.

“It’s really frightening that these people don’t care where they throw their used needles."