A Bradford mum is demanding action after her five-year-old son cut himself on a dirty needle dumped by drug addicts.

Tracey Bham said she regularly finds used needles thrown over the wall into the garden of her council house in Allerton Grange Drive.

She is concerned that her son Shabir could have contracted hepatitis or even HIV from the incident and says she doesn't know how to stop the needles being left.

"I'm really at my wits end and I couldn't believe it when Shabir told me what happened," said Mrs Bham.

"He came running in from the garden and his finger was bleeding. My heart was in my mouth when I realised what he'd done.

"I took the needle to Bradford Royal Infirmary with me and they gave Shabir an injection for hepatitis and took a blood test.

"He'll have to have three more injections over the next few months and regular blood tests.

"It's just so frightening. Even though there's only a small risk of him catching anything, it's still there."

Mrs Bham said that needles had also been found in her neighbours' gardens and on wasteland outside Allerton First School.

"I just don't know what to do as it has been happening for weeks," she said.

"I have to keep calling out the Council to come and collect the needles but I just want it stopped.

"I don't dare let my three children play outside in case the same thing happens again.

"Often the needles are hidden in the grass and you just don't know they're there.

"I just want these people that are using the needles to get rid of them somewhere else."

A Bradford Council cleansing department spokesman said: "Bradford Council provides a service for collecting and safely disposing of discarded syringes.

"Anyone who finds used syringes should ring (01274) 751000 to arrange collection.

"The service is free for needles found on domestic properties but a charge is made for collection from business premises."

A spokesman for the Council's HIV Unit said: "Although there is little risk of contracting HIV infection there is a chance that any cut or injury caused by a used needle could result in Hepatitis B or C or tetanus.

"If you injure yourself with a used needle you should contact your GP or hospital accident and emergency department.

"Information regarding needles and syringes can be obtained from the nearest needle exchange outlet, the Bridge Project, Project 6 or health centres."

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