An outraged mother today called for action after her young daughter found a used heroin needle in a play area.

Annette King, of Ferdinand Walk, Colchester, said she was shocked when eight-year-old Aimee returned home with the needle after visiting the Magnolia Drive play area in Greenstead on Thursday lunchtime.

Aimee said she had seen the needle on the ground near the swings for younger children and picked it up so other children wouldn't get hurt.

She said: "I thought I can't leave it there or other children will get hurt."

Aimee, who was with her friend nine-year-old Leanne McLeod at the time, put the used needle in her pocket and took it straight home to her mother.

Miss King said: "This is somewhere Aimee goes all the time, just like other children from the area. I was disgusted when I saw the needle. Aimee said to me she had something in her pocket she had picked up in case other children got hurt.

"A till receipt was wrapped around the end and she said she had not pricked herself on it at all and had put it straight in her pocket."

Miss King added: "We have been here two years and have never found anything like this before. It is coming to something when you cannot even let your child go to the playground.

"I just want people to know what Aimee found and would like any action possible to be taken."

Ray Martin, Colchester Council's countryside and landscape officer, condemned the dropping of drug sharps as "silly and irresponsible".

He said needles had been found at other play areas, but was not aware of any at Magnolia Drive, one of 50 council-owned grounds.

"This particular incident has not been reported to us," he said.

"And, other than by receiving reports from people, the only action we can take is that our playgrounds are inspected and cleaned each week. Staff are trained to look for this sort of contamination."

The Magnolia Drive bark chip surface, which is raked each Tuesday, would be given another thorough check today, he added.

Notices are posted at each site, asking playground-users to report sharp finds to the council.

Call 01206 282905 during office hours, and the authority's emergency number 01206 548444 at all other times.

Shock - Aimee King, 8, with the used needle she found in the Magnolia Drive play area.

Picture: STEPHANIE MACKRILL

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.