AS the number of discarded syringes continues to grow across Teesside, people are urged to be vigilant when using public amenities.

From April this year, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council has had 89 requests to collect needles from locations across the area.

Meanwhile, Stockton Borough Council had 44, Hartlepool Borough Council 113, and Middlesbrough Council 37.

Mike Hardman, Redcar and Cleveland council's assistant director of direct works, said there were no figures kept for previous years, but there was no doubt the number of cases was increasing.

He said: "I am not sure if drug-taking is becoming more acute, or whether the number of cases we deal with has gone up because of people's increased awareness of the service we offer, picking up discarded needles."

A 24-hour hotline set up to tackle the problem in Hartlepool has proved its worth.

The Hartlepool Borough Council-run drug litter collection service has been called out 353 times since its launch in June last year.

A Hartlepool council official said: "The figure for Hartlepool shows that people are becoming more vigilant and reporting these cases to us. It is a sign our service is a success.

"It is part of our commitment to making the town's streets and open spaces safer for residents."

Services embrace all the areas which are normally covered by a council's cleansing operation. Locations across Teesside where discarded syringes have been found include beaches, parks, shrub beds, playing fields and streets.

Councils do not enter individual properties or search locations for needles.

Mr Hardman said: "The last thing we want the public to do is attempt to collect the needle themselves. As long as we have been given accurate information, we would expect to have collected the needle within two hours of receiving any call."

He said people should be careful, and ring the hotline.

Anybody in Redcar and Cleveland who finds a discarded syringe is asked to ring (01642) 457326 or 492020, Middlesbrough, (01642) 264083, Hartlepool, (01429) 523333 or 869424 and Stockton, (01642) 391955 or 391955