COMMUNITY leaders in Caldicot are demanding action after used needles were found in a public play area.

Nine syringes were found in the stands of Caldicot Town AFC, along with other drug-related paraphernalia.

The football club pitches are part of the King George IV playing fields - where there is also a separate children's play area.

Football club members say it is not the first time such needles have been found in the public stands and they are calling for action to be taken to control the problem of drug abuse in the town.

The syringes and needles found in the football club were disposed of by local police. But locals say the play area - which is public land and cannot be fenced off - is frequented by gangs of young people during the evenings.

There are also around 60 registered drug users in Caldicot, but there are no drug rehabilitation centres for them and they face a six-month waiting list for facilities in Newport.

Mike Harrison, chairman of Caldicot Town AFC, said he was concerned at the lack of guidance on how to handle drug paraphernalia when it was found on council land. The club first discovered addicts were using the pitches when the grandson of one of the club members picked up a used needle.

He said: "If it had punctured him, it could have been deadly. "It is not just an inner city problem, it can happen in small villages like this and there does not seem to be a policy to deal with it."

Caldicot town council, which is responsible for the King George IV playing fields, plans to discuss it at its next meeting.

The council is also keen to hold a meeting with Caldicot Town AFC to discuss the issue. Councillor Rae Higginson, mayor of the town council, said: "It is on the agenda for the next town council meeting at the end of the month. There is a lot of this type of thing happening at the moment and they are doing it late at night when there is no-one around."