'Lives are at risk from needles dumped in river by addicts'

Alan Slater, the barrage manager and river master on the River Tees, said staff were placing themselves in danger when removing rubbish and debris thrown in the water.

He said British Waterways members tried to clean the river as often as possible, but said it was difficult because of the number of discarded needles.

He said workers tried to wear protective gloves when handling the needles, but found they were dangerous in the water.

He said that if he or a member of staff went into the water wearing heavy gloves, it could affect their buoyancy.

He said: "We clean up as much as possible, but it is not really our responsibility, unless it is a danger to navigation.

"We have had problems in the past picking up floating litter because of the amount of hypodermic needles in the river. You cannot go in there with your hands and pick up this stuff. It is a big problem. We might pick up 20 needles in any day when we are cleaning up the river."

He said he believed drug-users were injecting drugs in quiet riverside inlets, where anti-social behaviour had become a problem.

As a result, they were throwing used needles in the river.

He said: People need to be educated about litter and also what to do with their needles."

He also criticised manufacturers for failing to use non-biodegradable packaging on their products, which added to British Waterways' problems.

However, he said the agency was considering turning all of the tree branches and wood found in the river into chippings, so they could be sent to a local power plant to produce energy.

Councillor Bob Cook, Stockton Borough Council's cabinet member for regeneration and transport, said the council was trying to restore lighting along the Millennium Bridge, but was eager to ensure the river and the Teesdale site, in Stockton, was at its best.

He said: "We are working closely with a number of partners, such as British Waterways and Durham University, to improve the Teesdale area."