Teenager's fury after Hartlepool mum finds blood-filled needle in grass at cemetery

On Monday, January 13, Shannon Jane’s mum was walking her dogs and letting them play around North Cemetery on Hart Lane near to Hartlepool town centre.

Right where her dogs were running, she spotted something in the grass.

On closer inspection, Shannon’s mum saw two needles that had been left there. One appeared to contain blood, while the other was blood stained.

They were carefully removed from the grass to avoid children or animals coming into contact with them.

Shannon, 19, was then contacted by her mum after the discovery and has spoken of her shock.

Shannon told the Mail that she thought Hartlepool Borough Council should introduce CCTV cameras in the area to monitor activity.

She said: “With it being a cemetery that is out of use, dog walkers often meet there or families take their children there to play or have a picnic.

“Families and pet owners should be able to go there without worrying about these kinds of things.

“With this being such a public place that lots of people go to, it's really shocking.

“The worst part is that the needles were filled with blood too, the thought that a child could have found them or someone’s pet could have pricked themselves makes me feel sick.”

The council has since been informed of the discovery and is urging people to report any similar issues as soon as possible.

A Hartlepool Borough Council spokesperson said in a statement: “If people do come across discarded syringes they should report them immediately by contacting the council.

“The removal of drug-related litter is a priority service and all incidents reported to us are dealt with as a matter of urgency.

“However, it is important to remember that there would be no need for action to be taken if people didn’t behave so irresponsibly in the first place by disposing of such dangerous items in public places.”

Hartlepool Borough Council can be contacted on (01429) 523333.