A pile of used hypodermic needles have been found dumped on Hove beach.

Desmond Hunter and his partner Abbie Darling, both 25, of Upper Market Street, Hove, sat down just yards from the needles.

They were partially hidden by seaweed on a popular stretch of beach near the Angel pub.

Mr Hunter said: "I looked to my left and just panicked. My girlfriend picked one up and almost punctured herself.

"I almost sat down right on top of them. I was totally shocked. The only time I have seen anything like this was when I was in Melbourne in Australia where there is a big heroin problem.

"Everyone knows there is a drugs problem in Brighton, but people don't normally see it directly like this.

"Hypodermic needles mean heroin which is the most desperate drug you can get.

"I am very concerned because if we start getting addicts jacking up on the beach, the public will be put in danger."

The couple discovered the needles on Wednesday night. They alerted Brighton and Hove Council's Environmental Health department the following morning.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove Council, said: "The discovery of the needles was reported to our seafront office. Unfortunately it is quite common to find them, though we do not have exact figures as they are gathered up when Sita staff do their daily sweep of the beach.

"We would advise anyone who finds a hypodermic needle not to touch it but report it either to our seafront office or to the Sita staff who patrol the beach.

"They cover all eight miles of our coastline daily and this is one of the things they look out for.

"In addition the seafront office keeps special boxes which the needles can be put in for safe disposal."