By Graham Brown

AN ANGUS mother has condemned the local authority’s clean-up procedures after finding a hypodermic syringe in a council house cupboard.

The discovery was made on Sunday night when Amanda Fleming’s partner checked the high level kitchen unit and found what they believe to be a drug user’s needle.

The cupboard has lain empty since Amanda and Scott Sutherland moved into the Forfar house several months ago but after deciding to use it they are angry that the needle was missed during Angus Council’s letting preparations.

It emerged yesterday the house was given a “heavy cleaning” after being abandoned by previous tenants and the authority said it would be taking contractors to task.

“We’ve been in here about seven months but never needed to use the cupboard,” said Amanda, of Glenmoy Terrace.

She added, “It’s quite high up and on its own, so we hadn’t checked it because there are plenty other cupboards which we use and I couldn’t really reach it.”

“Fortunately the needle still has the cap on, but you can clearly see that it’s been used and I think it can only be drugs in it.

“The house in general has been fine but we just thought it was appalling that this could have been lying there all that time and whoever checked the flat out before we got it didn’t do a very good job.

“It’s high up and if it had been different circumstances and we had just swept out hands across the cupboard to check it we could have been facing tests right now to find out what was in the needle and if it was carrying anything.

“Fortunately my son is only nine months so he wasn’t able to get into the cupboard, but we’re just shocked that it’s been sitting there all the time we’ve been here.

“The council have been very apologetic but this shouldn’t have been missed and if we had needed this cupboard something serious could have happened before now.”

A council spokesperson said, “We are glad that when the tenant discovered the needle she contacted the council without delay to arrange for its speedy and safe disposal.

“In this instance, the house had previously been abandoned and we arrang-ed for it to be ‘heavy cleaned’ by contractors before it was let to the present tenant seven months ago. We will be looking into the matter with the contractors.”