NEEDLE ALERT

Hurt child triggers needle beach alert A HYPODERMIC needle that
injured a local youngster remains somewhere on Chouet Beach. Sophie,
10, and Lucy, 7, Meader on Chouet Beach putting their shoes on after
news that a child had stood on a hypodermic needle, which has still
not been recovered despite a search. (Picture by Daniel Guerin,
0347853) It was not recovered after the incident, despite a search
yesterday. A warning was issued late yesterday afternoon, but the
Environment Department said it would not be practical or fair to
close the whole beach. The 13-year-old boy was taken to hospital
after treading on it on Thursday night, but his condition is not
known. There are no plans for the search to continue over the
weekend. 'Of course, even with the most comprehensive of searches it
is impossible to remove every last item that could cause harm,' said
a spokesman. Environment was notified of the incident at 12.20pm
yesterday and asked its beach cleaning contractors to undertake a
thorough search of the beach and immediately surrounding area. Health
and Social Services said: 'The risk of a blood-borne virus is
extremely low. The department is more concerned about the individual
acquiring an infection from a needle that has been contaminated from
its contact with the surroundings than with a blood-borne virus.
'This type of case is rare in Guernsey: there are only two to three a
year.' If anyone is hurt in such a way, the department advised them
to clean any wound immediately with soap and water and not to pick up
the needle or syringe.

They should attend their GP or, out of hours, accident and emergency.
'It is unusual for the needle to be contaminated if it is found on a
beach as the seawater and ultraviolet rays from the sun are natural
disinfectants.' Chouet Tea Rooms owner Karen McBoyle, 45, said: 'My
children play on the beach, so it's quite frightening. Hypodermic
syringes should be disposed of appropriately: the risk of infection
is too great not to. I can't stop my children going on to the beach,
but it's a bit scary.' Vale deputy Geoff Mahy said: 'I'm very
disappointed a boy got injured on Chouet beach from a hypodermic
syringe that may have been left there by someone talking drugs.' He
was aware that the Environment Department had temporary workers
patrolling the beaches every morning during the summer and clearing
litter. 'From my experience, the beaches are usually very clear and
Guernsey people are normally very good at disposing of rubbish in the
litter bins provided or taking it home. 'I hope this is an isolated incident.

Fortunately, this is the first instance of its kind I have heard of
this summer.

It's certainly not something we want in Guernsey and our children
should be able to run around freely on the beach and enjoy the sand
without having to worry about receiving an injury of this kind.'
Deputy Mary Lowe, also a Vale representative, said: 'We are aware
there appears to be an increasing drug problem in Guernsey and one of
litter with the amount of broken glass, lightbulbs and bottles on the
beaches in the last few weeks.' Deputy Lowe had grave concerns about
the ramifications for a little toddler or somebody elderly. 'I hope
this is just a one-off and won't be a growing trend.

There is the opportunity for all ages to go to our beaches and enjoy
them and to not spoil it for others by being reckless and careless.

It's sheer stupidity.' Other beachgoers are considering boycotting Chouet.

'I am beyond shocked,' said Le Platon Residential Home cook Ann
Thomson, 49, who was on the beach on Thursday afternoon with her
grandchild Reiss, 8. 'I bring my grandchildren here all the time -
you expect them to be safe on the beach.

It puts me off coming here, even though it's nice.' She said that she
had never seen anything untoward going on at Chouet and if people
wanted to inject themselves with drugs, then that was their choice,
but to leave the remnants behind was utterly indefensible. Carolyn
Ginn, 35, who was on the beach with her four children yesterday
afternoon, said: 'It makes me think twice about using the beach.

There is always quite a bit of rubbish on the beach which we're
always picking up.' 'It was very busy yesterday, there were no
teenagers or people looking suspicious, it was all just families.

It's awful - I hope that that poor boy is alright.' Drug Concern
manager Tracey Rear said: 'In this situation it is difficult to know
where the needle came from - it may not have been used for illicit
drug use.' 'Drug Concern operate a very stringent needle exchange
programme and anyone known to be acting irresponsibly will not be
provided with a service.'