Dog walker's horror at finding SECOND needle on South Shields beach in space of a month

Stephen Ogunona and his dog were walking on the beach near the Goyne at South Shields when he came across the two discarded needles.

Stephen Ogunona first reported finding a needle in the sand on Little Haven Beach in South Shields while he was out walking his dog earlier this month

After he spotted the needle in the sand Stephen picked it up and put it in a nearby bin out of harm’s way.

The incident was reported to South Tyneside Council.

The second needle found by Stephen Ogunona on the beach near the Goyne at South Shields.

But just weeks later, On Sunday, October 27, Stephen came across a second needle on the same beach near the Groyne.

Stephen said: “I was walking my dog again on Little Haven Beach with my friend when we came across another needle.

“I just couldn't believe that we had found another one so soon.

“You shouldn't be finding them on the beach, especially when you have dogs and kids running around in bare feet.

“It’s horrible to think about.”

Stephen said that despite advice from South Tyneside Council for the public not to touch any needles they may find, he did pick it up and put it in the bin worrying that someone may become injured if he didn’t.

A spokesman for South Tyneside Council said: “It is very worrying that another needle has been found on the beach.

“It is impossible to say whether this was washed up or discarded on the sand.

“Either way, this hazardous material represents a danger both to those using the beach and to our cleansing staff.

“We take great pride in keeping our public spaces clean and tidy.

“We would encourage people to be extra vigilant and advise anyone who finds a needle or similar item to report it to the council as soon as possible so that it can be disposed of swiftly and safely.”

Northumbria Police said they had not received any reports of drug use at the beach in connection to the incident.

A force spokeswoman said: “We always encourage the public to report any drug use or paraphernalia found to their local council and police as this helps us identify hot spots and ensure resources are deployed effectively to target the problem.”