AGONISING WAIT FOR BUS DRIVER IN NEEDLE SCARE

AN Exmouth Stagecoach driver who found syringes on his bus faces an
agonising wait for the results of medical tests on his scratched finger.

The 26-year-old Brixington man, who does not want to be identified,
found 16 syringes and swabs in two carrier bags on a bus seat after a
man in his 20s got off at a stop in Littleham.

After scratching his finger on one of the needles, the driver asked
the district council environmental health department, Exmouth police
and Exmouth hospital to dispose of them, but each time was turned away.

He was forced to keep the syringes with him until he found a pharmacy
in Withycombe that was willing to take them.

The driver, who has a child, is now awaiting the results of an HIV
and hepatitis blood test. He said: "When I put my hand in the bag I
just panicked. I was in a state of shock. I was sweating and shaking.

"I took the bag to the district council environmental health
department but they said they couldn't take it.

"I tried the police and they didn't want to know at all. I took the
syringes to casualty, who suggested I took them to the council
because they can only take their own needles. In the end I took them
to a chemist in Withycombe which does a needle exchange service."

The driver's father, 68, said: "It's disgusting that no-one would
help. We pay our council tax to these people but they can't help when
things like needles are found, They are a danger to the public."

Exmouth Hospital said hygiene rules prevented them from taking
needles from members of the public.

Exmouth police said their policy was to refer anyone who found
needles to the local authority.

An East Devon District Council spokesman said the needle disposal was
the responsibility of Stagecoach because they had been found on their bus.

"If needles were found in the street by a member of the public we
would collect them and dispose of them safely. We collect needles
from private individuals but don't collect from businesses," said the
spokesman.

Stagecoach spokesman Mark Whittle praised the Exmouth driver for his
vigilance, saying the company took finding syringes and needles on
their buses extremely seriously.

"We do have instances from time to time, when drivers discover things
on their buses and we do have a company policy in place to deal with
things," he said.

"Generally speaking we do have a good relationship with the police
and people who assist us.