DROITWICH'S public toilets could become "a haven for drug users" if plans to install used needle collection bins go ahead, a town councillor claims.

Labour's John Cook spoke out after it emerged Wychavon District Council, Turning Point and Worcestershire Primary Care Trust were discussing ways in which they could place the bins - known as sharps boxes - in the town's toilets.

He and other town councillors think the initiative, if given the go-ahead, could have a "disastrous" outcome.

"Locating the sharps boxes in public toilets, I think, would make a bad situation worse," said Coun Cook.

"Surely, having the boxes in the toilets will encourage people to take drugs in there and, probably, will also encourage drug dealing because it will be out of sight.

"The toilets will, no doubt, become a haven for drug users, and innocent townspeople will be terrified to use them.

"It's a ridiculous suggestion and not the way forward."

The leader of Droitwich Spa Town Council, Conservative Pam Davey, said she was horrified by the suggestion.

"I think this is an ill-thought-out idea which could prove disastrous," she said.

"I do think there is a need for a disposal box in Droitwich but the public toilets aren't that place."

She added she would be seeking her colleagues' views on the matter who would then possibly invite a representative of the primary care trust to talk to them.

"We are looking into providing sharps boxes in public toilets in partnership with Turning Point and the primary care trust," said a Wychavon District Council spokeswoman.

She stressed that nothing had been finalised and the talks were still under way.

Turning Point's service manager, Richard Allsup, said the initiative was proving successful in Worcester.

"We are looking at providing the boxes in an attempt to decrease the number of wrongly-discarded needles," he said.