Hypodermic shock as girl finds needle on Westcliff beach

A THREE-YEAR-OLD girl had to be checked over by medics after picking up a hypodermic needle while playing on the beach.

Chelsea Cheshire was with her 18-month-old brother Leeland and her parents Tanya, 32, and Gary, 30, when she picked up the needle during an afternoon at the beach, in Westcliff.

Fortunately her parents were nearby and quickly took it from her before it could cause any harm.

Mr Cheshire, of Holland Road, Westcliff said: “The first thing I did was dispose of the needle in a sharps container in the nearby public toilets.

“I was disgusted and frightened by what my daughter found and we had her checked out by a doctor.”

“If Leeland had seen it he would have simply put it straight in his mouth. We’re very concerned that people just chuck this sort of thing on the beach.

“What if there were children there without their parents and they didn’t realise how dangerous it could be?”

The couple have informed the council.

Anita Thornberry, Southend Council’s head of enterprise, tourism and regeneration, said: “We would like to thank the family for disposing of this needle in a responsible manner. We believe it must have been carried in on an incoming tide. Fortunately, this kind of thing is not a common occurrence.

“However, if someone should find such an item again, for safety reasons we would urge them to contact us on 01702 215006 immediately, so our cleansing contractor can deal with it straight away.”