A MUM has told of her horror after a child playing in an abandoned caravan in Innerleithen approached her with a syringe.

Drugs paraphernalia including needles and pill packets were discovered in the caravan situated at the garages on Ballantyne Street last Sunday.

Concerned locals alerted police and Scottish Borders Council and took to social media to warn parents not to let their children near the vacant caravan.

One mum, who does not want to be named, told the Peeblesshire News she was horrified when youngsters came running up to her brandishing a box of needles.

She said: “The kids playing in it are about 11 years old so I wasn’t pleased. There were also loads of packets of pills in there and a mobile phone with threatening text messages.”

Residents lashed out at the police and Scottish Borders Council for not taking immediate action when it was reported.

One local said: “This kind of thing is unusual here. However, I don’t believe the police or council has prioritised the safety of our community. The police came and saw it but just left it as it was and appear to have taken no action.

“These needles might not necessarily be used for illegal drugs as they were in packets and there were no signs of used ones. I think they had been pulled out of the packets they had been stored in, possibly by kids.”

When we contacted Police Scotland a spokesperson confirmed that the syringes were “safely uplifted for disposal”.

However, at the time of going to press, our source told us that upon checking the caravan it was still littered with syringes and pill packets.

Chairman of Innerleithen Community Council Marshall Douglas, said: “I am extremely concerned that this has happened, and would ask that Scottish Borders Council remove the caravan and have it destroyed.

“In the meantime the police should secure the site and remove any dangerous material. It is alarming that such a situation be allowed to exist.”

Scottish Borders Council said it was contacted regarding the matter on Wednesday and was looking into it.