A MOTHER fears her children could find heroin needles in the garden after she caught her hand on one while weeding.

The needle pierced Belle Graham’s gardening glove while she was weeding at her council house in St John’s Place in Kemp Town, Brighton.

The 35-year-old wants Brighton and Hove City Council to carry out a thorough check of the garden.

Brighton and Hove City Council said no needles were found when the house and garden was cleared before Ms Graham took moved in to the house in March, but have offered to safely get rid of the one she found.

She said: “I was picking up weeds to bag them and it has gone straight through the gardening gloves into my hand.

“I am not sure if it actually pierced my hand but I am going to get it checked out to make sure.

“I phoned the council and all they will do is come and dispose of the needle.

“I have got two kids but the response of the council is that you have taken over the property so you take over the garden and whatever is in it.”

Ms Graham’s eight-year-old daughter and 13-year-old son do not live with her but visit regularly.

She said: “What if the children are helping me in the garden or something?

“I have also got a chihuahua so would not take much for him to get hurt.

“I think where there is one there could be more.”

A spokesman for the council said the authority only undertook further work where there was a “serious health and safety risk”.

Serious risk She said: “Where there are needles, the council undertakes health and safety-related clearance work before a tenancy starts.

“In this particular property the garden was cleared during works before the tenant moved in and no needles were found but we will be contacting Ms Graham to see if there is any additional support we can offer.

“Once the tenancy starts, the tenant is responsible for the maintenance of the garden and only where there is a serious health and safety risk and/or the tenant is vulnerable does the council undertake further work.”