A FURIOUS mother has found a holdall filled with nearly 500 used syringes dumped near her home.

Tracey Webb found the dirty needles inside a bag she picked out of a bush in an alleyway next to her house in Mulberry Terrace, Tolladine.

Her husband John was so disgusted, he sat down and painstakingly counted the enormous pile of syringes, putting the final figure at 489.

"Why do they do it?" said Mrs Webb, who is thankful her four-year-old and 11-year-old did not find the bag, which has since been collected by Environmental Health.

Liz Staveley, director of Mrs Webb's registered social landlord Nexus Housing, said there had been some problems in the area and a letter had been written to all residents asking for ideas and feedback.

"It was a completely irresponsible thing to do and any publicity about dumping needles can only be a good thing."