A HYPODERMIC needle that injured a local youngster remains somewhere on Chouet Beach. It was not recovered after the incident, despite a search yesterday.

A warning was issued late yesterday afternoon, but the Environment Department said it would not be practical or fair to close the whole beach.

The 13-year-old boy was taken to hospital after treading on it on Thursday night, but his condition is not known.

There are no plans for the search to continue over the weekend.

‘Of course, even with the most comprehensive of searches it is impossible to remove every last item that could cause harm,’ said a spokesman.

Environment was notified of the incident at 12.20pm yesterday and asked its beach cleaning contractors to undertake a thorough search of the beach and immediately surrounding area.

Health and Social Services said: ‘The risk of a blood-borne virus is extremely low. The department is more concerned about the individual acquiring an infection from a needle that has been contaminated from its contact with the surroundings than with a blood-borne virus.

‘This type of case is rare in Guernsey: there are only two to three a year.’

If anyone is hurt in such a way, the department advised them to clean any wound immediately with soap and water and not to pick up the needle or syringe. They should attend their GP or, out of hours, accident and emergency.

‘It is unusual for the needle to be contaminated if it is found on a beach as the seawater and ultraviolet rays from the sun are natural disinfectants.’

Chouet Tea Rooms owner Karen McBoyle, 45, said: ‘My children play on the beach, so it’s quite frightening. Hypodermic syringes should be disposed of appropriately: the risk of infection is too great not to. I can’t stop my children going on to the beach, but it’s a bit scary.’

Vale deputy Geoff Mahy said: ‘I’m very disappointed a boy got injured on Chouet beach from a hypodermic syringe that may have been left there by someone talking drugs.’

He was aware that the Environment Department had temporary workers patrolling the beaches every morning during the summer and clearing litter.

‘From my experience, the beaches are usually very clear and Guernsey people are normally very good at disposing of rubbish in the litter bins provided or taking it home.

‘I hope this is an isolated incident. Fortunately, this is the first instance of its kind I have heard of this summer. It’s certainly not something we want in Guernsey and our children should be able to run around freely on the beach and enjoy the sand without having to worry about receiving an injury of this kind.’

Deputy Mary Lowe, also a Vale representative, said: ‘We are aware there appears to be an increasing drug problem in Guernsey and one of litter with the amount of broken glass, lightbulbs and bottles on the beaches in the last few weeks.’

Deputy Lowe had grave concerns about the ramifications for a little toddler or somebody elderly.

‘I hope this is just a one-off and won’t be a growing trend. There is the opportunity for all ages to go to our beaches and enjoy them and to not spoil it for others by being reckless and careless. It’s sheer stupidity.’

Other beachgoers are considering boycotting Chouet.

‘I am beyond shocked,’ said Le Platon Residential Home cook Ann Thomson, 49, who was on the beach on Thursday afternoon with her grandchild Reiss, 8.

‘I bring my grandchildren here all the time – you expect them to be safe on the beach. It puts me off coming here, even though it’s nice.’

She said that she had never seen anything untoward going on at Chouet and if people wanted to inject themselves with drugs, then that was their choice, but to leave the remnants behind was utterly indefensible.

Carolyn Ginn, 35, who was on the beach with her four children yesterday afternoon, said: ‘It makes me think twice about using the beach. There is always quite a bit of rubbish on the beach which we’re always picking up.’

‘It was very busy yesterday, there were no teenagers or people looking suspicious, it was all just families. It’s awful – I hope that that poor boy is alright.’

Drug Concern manager Tracey Rear said: ‘In this situation it is difficult to know where the needle came from – it may not have been used for illicit drug use.’

‘Drug Concern operate a very stringent needle exchange programme and anyone known to be acting irresponsibly will not be provided with a service.’