RESIDENTS have been urged not to pick up syringes after one was found on a Prestonpans road yesterday.

The needle was found next to a letterbox, inches from the pavement on Polwarth Terrace, a residential area close to Preston Lodge High School and the Prestonpans Group Practice.

Used needles are dangerous to people and pets if not disposed of safely because they can injure people and spread infections that cause serious health conditions.

Council officials stressed that the public should not touch them, as its own community wardens have the appropriate training and equipment to dispose of them safely.

An East Lothian Council spokesperson said: “We advise anyone who spots syringes on public land not to pick them up but to call the council to report the location and community wardens will remove them safely.”