Bag of syringes and drug paraphernalia found lying on pavement in Northampton neighbourhood

Parents were shocked to find the bag of needles lying on the pavement in a Northampton neighbourhood.

The community in Clarence Avenue, Kingsthorpe, were forced to dipose of the plastic bag filled with spoons, needles and hazardous sharps after a picture of the stash was posted to a residents' group page.

One resident, who found the bag propped against a wall outside a neighbour's house, said: "I was just so shocked. It's normally such a quiet street.

"There's lots of children around here, and I encourage my children to pick up litter. What is someone had been hurt?

The bag was filled with drug paraphernalia including syringes and spoons.

"I've only ever seen those nitrous oxide canisters in the street but this is something else."

A resident with diabetes was able to dispose of the hazardous stash in their sharps box.

Cleaning up discarded needles is the responsibility of Northampton's environmental health contractor. Medical waste and sharps can be reported at the borough council website.