Daniel Maddock picked up the syringe – which still had a needle attached – from the floor of a cubicle in the toilets near Heysham library.

Daniel, a pupil at Mossgate Primary School, had nipped in to use the toilets while out for a walk with his dad Stephen and a friend.
Mr Maddock said: "I had our dog with me, so I waited outside with the dog and Daniel's friend while Daniel went inside.

"He came out with the syringe in his hand and I told him to drop it, and then I checked he hadn't stabbed himself with it.

"I looked inside and saw another needle on the floor."

Mr Maddock, of Tibicar Drive East, rang the city council to report the incident, and then a short time later he returned to the toilets to find the syringes had been removed.

Mark Davies, head of city council (direct) services, said: "We take the condition of our toilets very seriously and they are all visited on a
regular basis by staff who are trained to look for and properly deal with any drug related paraphernalia they may find.

"If a member of the public finds a needle in a public convenience or on open land then they should report it to us by calling 01524 582491."