CONCERNS have been raised after reportedly 'hundreds' of needles were found in a drug den at a Weymouth beauty spot.

The grim find came as volunteers carried out a community litter pick along the Rodwell Trail.

It has prompted calls for police to step up patrols in the area, which is popular with families but is being visited regularly by drug users.

Chairman of the Friends of the Rodwell Trail Claudia Moore alerted authorities after coming across some drug users' needles during a spring clean-up.

It is believed a huge amount were later removed from a clearing just off the trail on the Asda side of the Wyke Road tunnel.

Mrs Moore, who is also a borough councillor, said she came across some needles when she went to look off the trail near a little make-shift camp area.

But as volunteers do not pick up needles she backed away and alerted the council and a Dorset Police community support officer who also attended the event.

Mrs Moore said that generally walking along the trail was safe, but urged children and adults to “stick to the path,” keep dogs on leads and not to go into the undergrowth.

In the future, Mrs Moore said she was considering campaigning for syringe bins in public toilets, as after speaking to users, she said they would rather dispose of needles in bins.

She said: “We do regular litter picks and I know the borough council are very good about sorting out the trail. We have asked for an increased police presence – we were with a community support officer on the litter pick.”

A post on social media suggested between 300-500 needles were found in total on the trail. A picture of the find shows a huge amount of needles.

Mrs Moore said: “That seems a lot considering it gets checked regularly."

Michael Moon, Head of Operations at the Dorset Waste Partnership, said: “We were alerted to the Friends of Rodwell Trail’s find, at which point we quickly dispatched a four-man cleansing team to assist Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s Community Protection Officer and Parks department in clearing up the mess and making the area safe for the public. Our operatives used specialist equipment to remove the items, as well as full PPE and litter picking tools."

Residents are advised that if they discover a discarded needle or other drug paraphernalia, they should not touch or attempt to remove it unless it poses an immediate danger to you or others.

Contact the police or Dorset Waste Partnership immediately and provide as much detail as possible about the type, quantity and location.

Weymouth and Portland Neighbourhood Inspector Pete Browning said: “I am aware of the finding of needles and these have been cleared by the council.

“They did not pose a significant public health risk as they were concealed behind bushes which are now going to be cut back to remove the problem.

“The local police are aware of the area and are carrying out patrols to identify any drugs misuse.”

THE Rodwell Trail, which is just over two miles long, follows the route of the old Weymouth to Portland railway from Abbotsbury Road to Ferrybridge.

The shared use walking and cycleway is very popular with pedestrians, cyclists and dog walkers and now forms part of the National Cycle Network Route 26.

It is popular with locals and tourists alike and is a wildlife haven.

The trail was once a crime-ridden area which was overgrown.

Working with Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, volunteers have turned it into a pleasant area for families, highlighting the trail's railway past and areas of nature interest with information boards, signs and leaflets.

The Friends of the Rodwell Trail formed in 2003 and is an active group organising activities and generally looking after the area.